title: [Protective effect of valsartan or/and ligustrazine on hippocampal neuronal loss in rats with vascular dementia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Valsartan and Ligustrazine on hippocampal neuronal loss and the ability of learning and memory of rats with vascular dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vascular dementia was induced in rats by blocking bilateral carotid artery repeatedly and intraperitoneal injection of sodium nitroprusside. The vacuity learning and memory of the rats were measured with Morris water maze. The plasma AVP and ANGII were determined by radio-immunity methods. The activities of SOD, GSH-Px and MDA in hippocampal tissues were detected by chemistry colorimetry. The hippocampal neuronal loss was observe with light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both valsartan and ligustrazine shortened escape latency (P < 0.05), and increased the numbers of rats crossing platform and the time spent in target quadrant (P < 0.01). Valsartan decreased plasma AVP, whereas ligustrazine increased plasma AVP. Both valsartan and ligustrazine increased plasma ANGII (P < 0.01), increased the activities of SOD and GSH-PX in hippocampal tissues, and decreased MDA activities in hippocampal tissues (P < 0.05). The damages in structure, number and volume of hippocampal neuron cells were reduced by Valsartan and Ligustrazine. The combined use of Valsartan and Ligustrazine produced greater effects than either of the drugs alone in all of the indicators except for plasma AVP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Valsartan or/and Ligustrazine have protective effect on hippocampal neuronal loss in rats with vascular dementia, possibly through inhibiting RAS activation and free radical formation induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou 646000, China.
authors.forename: Da-lian
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011719:Pyrazines; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine