title: Uncaria rhynchophylla (miq) Jack plays a role in neuronal protection in kainic acid-treated rats.
abstract: Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq) Jack (UR) is one of many Chinese herbs. Our previous studies have shown that UR has both anticonvulsive and free radical-scavenging activities in kainic acid (KA)-treated rats. The aim of the present study was to use the effect of UR on activated microglia, nitric oxide synthase, and apoptotic cells to investigate its function in neuroproction in KA-treated rats. UR of 1.0 or 0.5 g/kg was orally administered for 3 days (first day, second day, and 30 min prior to KA administration on the third day), or 10 mg/kg (intraperitoneal injection, i.p.) N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 30 min prior to KA (2 microg/2 microl) was injected into the right hippocampus region of Sprague-Dawly rats. ED1 (mouse anti rat CD68), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) immunoreactive cells and apoptotic cells were observed in the hippocampus region. The results indicated that 1.0 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg of UR and 10 mg/kg of L-NAME reduced the counts of ED1, nNOS, iNOS immunoreactive cells and apoptotic cells in KA-treated rats. This study demonstrates that UR can reduce microglia activation, nNOS, iNOS and apoptosis, suggesting that UR plays a neuro-protective role against neuronal damage in KA-treated rats.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Nou-Ying
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chung-Hsiang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shan-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ya-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Ching-Tou
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Chin-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Woei-Cherng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Shyu
authors.forename: Ching-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D032070:Uncaria / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D007608:Kainic Acid