Uncaria rhynchophylla (miq) Jack plays a role in neuronal protection in kainic acid-treated rats.
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.
Tang
Nou-Ying
NY
School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Liu
Chung-Hsiang
CH
Su
Shan-Yu
SY
Jan
Ya-Min
YM
Hsieh
Ching-Tou
CT
Cheng
Chin-Yi
CY
Shyu
Woei-Cherng
WC
Hsieh
Ching-Liang
CL
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*
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D007608:Kainic Acid