title: [Protective effects of nerve growth factor vs Danshen on hippocampal neuron against global ischemia-reperfusion injury in gerbils].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the protective effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and Danshen on hippocampal neurons in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) with global ischemia-reperfusion injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Global ischemia-reperfusion model was established in 54 male Z:ZCLA gerbils by occlusion of the bilateral carotid arteries. The animal models were randomized into 3 groups to receive treatment with normal saline, NGF, and Danshen 30 min after the reperfusion. At 6 h, 3 and 7 days after the reperfusion, the survival of the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons was observed using optical and electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax in the neurons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuronal apoptosis was not observed in the hippocampus 6 h after the reperfusion, but at 3 and 7 days, the number of apoptotic neurons increased significantly in the CA1 region. Compared with normal saline, treatments with NGF and Danshen both significantly reduced the number of apoptotic neurons at 3 and 7 days. The number of apoptotic neurons showed no significant difference between NGF and Danshen treatment groups at 3 days, but at 7 days, the apoptotic cell number was significantly lower in NGF group (P<0.05). Bcl-2 expression was the highest in NGF group, and its highest expression occurred at 6 h after the reperfusion; Bax expression was detected in saline group, and underwent no significant changes with the passage of time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both NGF and Danshen show protective effects against global ischemia-reperfusion injury. NGF has a stronger protective effect than Danshen, and this finding provides experimental evidence for selecting appropriate protective agents in the treatment of ischemic brain damage.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. zhouhz2005@126.com
authors.forename: Hong-zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tian-ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Meng-long
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bing-de
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010618:Phenanthrolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy*; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010618:Phenanthrolines; C028972:dan-shen root extract; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor