Gastrodin protects neonatal rat brain against hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy Acute therapeutic drug effects

R74; BACKGROUND:Pharmacological experiments have demonstrated that gastrodin has a protective effect on neonatal rat brain subjected to hypoxia-ischemia; however,the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate the acute therapeutic effects of gastrodin by observing prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1 a in brain issue of neonatal rats that received gastrodin injections immediately after hypoxia-ischemia.DESIGN:Single-factor design.SETTING:Department of Pediatrics,Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University. MATERIALS:This study was performed in the Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics,Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University(key laboratory of provincial Health Department)from April to December 2003.Fifty-five Wistar rats of either gender,aged 7 days,were provided by the Laboratory Animal Center of Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University.The rats were randomly divided into normal control(n＝10), model(n＝15),gastrodin-treated(n＝15),and Danshen-treated(n＝15)groups.The protocol was performed in accordance with guidelines from the Institute of Health Sciences for the use and care of animals.The following reagents were.used:Gastrodin(Sancai Medicine Group Co.,Ltd.,Zhongshan,Guangdong Province,China;component:gastrodin),Danshen(Conba Stock Company,Jinhua,Zhengjiang Province,China; component:salvia miltiorrhiza),and reagent kits for 125I-prostaglandin B2 and 125I-6-prostaglandin F 1 a (Research and Development Center for Science and Technology,General Hospital of Chinese PLA). METHODS:Rats in the normal control group received no treatment.Rats in the remaining 3 groups were anesthetized,followed by ligation of the left common carotid artery.One hour later,the rats were placed in a closed hypoxic box and allowed to inhale 8% oxygen-air(2.0-3.0 L/min)for 2 hours to develop hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.Immediately after lesion,rats in the gastrodin and Danshen-treated groups were intraperitoneally injected with 1 g gastrodin(10 mL/kg)and 15 g Danshen(15 mL/kg),respectively.MAIN OUTCOME EASURES:Forty-eight hours after lesion,the left brain hemisphere was removed and homogenized to test the levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1 a by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS:Forty successfully lesioned neonatal rats from the model,gastrodin-treated,and Danshen-treated groups,and ten rats from the control group,were included in the final analysis.Levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostagla