[Effects of Wulongdan on learning and memory abilities of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of Wulongdan, a tradition Chinese medicinal preparation, on the learning and memory abilities of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia and explore the mechanisms.


METHODS
Male rats with chronic cerebral ischemia induced by permanent ligation of the bilateral carotid arteries were randomized into sham-operated group, chronic cerebral ischemia (model) group, and high-, middle-, and low-dose Wulongdan groups and Yinxingye group. The corresponding treatments were administered in the rats 24 h after the operation once daily for 8 consecutive weeks. Morris water maze and step-through tests were performed after 7 weeks of drug administration. The brain tissues were then taken to observe the morphological changes in the hippocampal neurons with Nissl staining by transmission electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Compared with the model group, the latency of finding the platform in Morris water maze test was significantly shortened (P<0.05 or 0.01), and that in step-through test significantly prolonged (P<0.05 or 0.01) in high-, middle-, and low-dose Wulongdan groups and Yinxingye group. In the model group, Nissl staining of the hippocampal CA1 region visualized obvious pathological changes in the neurons, showing a significant difference from the sham-operated and high-dose Wulongdan groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Wulongdan can enhance the learning and memory abilities of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia possibly through a mechanism in relation to neuronal protection in the hippocampus CA1 region.
Tang
Wei
W
Department of Chinese Medicine and Formula, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. tangwei1@fimmu.com
Peng
Kang
K
Zhu
Chuan-wu
CW
Lei
Xiao-lin
XL
Liu
Wei
W
D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents