[Protective effect of Yimucao (Herba leonuri) injection against cerebral ischemia: an experimental study in mice and rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Yimucao (Herba leonuri) injection against experimental cerebral ischemia.


METHODS
Mouse models of cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral carotid artery occlusion or potassium cyanide and rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were established to evaluate the protective effect of Yimucao injection by measuring the changes in cerebral malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) after the injections.


RESULTS
Yimucao injection significantly lowered the cerebral index of mice with cerebral ischemia, prolonged the survival time of mice poisoned with potassium cyanide, resulting also in significantly decreased MDA content and increased activities of SOD and LDH in the brain tissue of rats after a 10-min cerebral ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Yimucao injection provides protective effect against experimental cerebral ischemia.
Xie
Chong-Xuan
CX
Department of Neurology, Second People's Hospital of Shantou, Shantou 515041, China.
Yang
Yu-Qun
YQ
Lu
Jian-Pei
JP
Tang
Mian
M
Zhou
We
W
D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020011:Protective Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase