title: Cerebral infarction improved by safflower treatment.
abstract: The effect of safflower on cerebral infarction was studied in 152 Mongolian gerbils. Sixty-three animals were evaluated neurological deficit over 8 hours postoperation, then sacrificed and NE, DA and 5-HT contents of each cerebral hemisphere and brain stem were determined. NE, DA and 5-HT of hemisphere ipsilateral to the ligated artery in untreated animals declined significantly compared with sham-operated animals and safflower-treated gerbils. There was no significant difference between safflower-treated and sham-operated animals in NE, DA and 5-HT contents. The mean stroke index at 8 hours in safflower treated animals was 2.1 +/- 0.7, whereas untreated gerbils was 7.8 +/- 1.9 (P less than 0.01). Eighty-nine animals were followed up for 5 days, the safflower-treated animals showed a benign clinical course and mortality rate was reduced by 29.7% (6/34 vs. 26/55) in safflower-treated animals compared with untreated animals (P less than 0.01). Safflower has a protective and beneficial effect on cerebral ischemia induced in Mongolian gerbils.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005849:Gerbillinae; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine