title: Neuroprotective effects of Gualou Guizhi decoction in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine has been reported to have protective effects on ischemic stroke. The present study is to investigate the therapeutic effect of GLGZD on ischemic stroke and explore its mode of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  GLGZD was studied on transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion in vivo, as well as on hippocampal primary neuron cultures in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vivo, it was shown that GLGZD treatment for 7 days could ameliorate transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced neurological deficit, histopathology changes and decrease infarct area. Further study demonstrated that GLGZD inhibited over-activation of astrocytes and apoptosis of neurons and GLGZD promoted up-regulation of neuronal specific marker neuron-specific nuclear (NeuN) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) in brain. Moreover, the in vitro study revealed that GLGZD treatment protected against NMDA-induced cell apoptosis and neuronal loss, and promoted up-regulation of neuronal specific marker NeuN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, the present study demonstrates that GLGZD produces a protection in the MCAO model rats via inhibiting over-activation of astrocytes, apoptosis of neurons and up-regulation of neuronal specific marker NeuN and MAP-2. Our study reveals that GLGZD might be a potential neuroprotective agent for stroke and can provide basic data for clinical use.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China; Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China.
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China.
authors.forename: Kedan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China. Electronic address: xwfjtcm@sina.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China.
authors.forename: Shengnan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Fujian, Fuzhou 350122, PR China.
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Que
authors.affiliation: College of Rehabilitation Medicine of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, PR China. Electronic address: clidianlab@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lidian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000235:genetics; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C489787:MAP2 protein, rat; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C546339:Rbfox3 protein, rat; C584294:gua lou gui zhi
keywords: Glial fibrillary acidic protein; Gualou Guizhi Decotion; Microtubule-associated protein 2; Middle cerebral artery occlusion; Neuron-specific nuclear