Gastrodia elata BL mediates the suppression of nNOS and microglia activation to protect against neuronal damage in kainic acid-treated rats.
Our previous studies showed that Gastrodia elata (GE), an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, has both anti-convulsive and free radical-scavenging activities in kainic acid (KA)-treated rats. The aim of the present study was to further investigate possible physiological mechanisms of GE against activities of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and microglia in KA-treated rats; 0.5 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg of GE extract were administered orally, whereas 20 mg/kg of N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was administered intraperitoneally (ip), both at 30 minutes prior to KA (2 microg/2 microl) being injected into the right hippocampus region of rats. ED1-staining, apoptotic, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and nNOS-staining cells were observed in the hippocampus region. The results indicated that 1.0 g/kg of GE and 20 mg/kg of L-NAME reduced the counts of ED1-stained cells, and 0.5 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg of GE, and 20 mg/kg of L-NAME reduced the numbers of apoptotic cells and nNOS-staining cells. In addition, 20 mg/kg of L-NAME also reduced the numbers of iNOS-staining cells, but 0.5 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg of GE did not. This study demonstrated that GE was able to reduce nNOS, microglia activation and apoptosis, suggesting that GE has a protective effect against neuronal damage in KA-treated rats.
Hsieh
Ching-Liang
CL
Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chen
Chi-Long
CL
Tang
Nou-Ying
NY
Chuang
Chin-Min
CM
Hsieh
Ching-Tou
CT
Chiang
Su-Yin
SY
Lin
Jaung-Geng
JG
Hsu
Sheng-Feng
SF
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D031668:Gastrodia; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D007608:Kainic Acid; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D007608:Kainic Acid