title: Improvement in the neural stem cell proliferation in rats treated with modified "Shengyu" decoction may contribute to the neurorestoration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  "Shengyu" decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat diseases with deficit in "qi" and "blood". The modified "Shengyu" decoction (MSD) used in the present study was designed to treat traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the basis of the "Shengyu" decoction, in which additional four herbs were added. Many ingredients in these herbs have been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of brain injury. The present study was performed to evaluate the neurorestorative effect and the underlying mechanisms of MSD on the rat brain after a TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  TBI was induced in the right cerebral cortex of adult rats using Feeney's weight-drop method. Intragastrical administration of MSD (1.0 ml/200 g) was begun 6h after TBI. The neurological functions and neuronal loss in the cortex and hippocampus were determined. The levels of nerve growth-related factors GDNF, NGF, NCAM, TN-C, and Nogo-A and the number of GFAP(+)/GDNF(+), BrdU(+)/nestin(+), BrdU(+)/NeuN(+) immunoreactive cells in the brain ipsilateral to TBI were also measured. Moreover, the influences of MSD on these variables were observed at the same time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that treatment with MSD in TBI rats ameliorated the neurological functions and alleviated neuronal loss. MSD treatment elevated the expression of GDNF, NGF, NCAM, and TN-C, and inhibited the expression of Nogo-A. Moreover, MSD treatment increased the number of GFAP(+)/GDNF(+), BrdU(+)/nestin(+), and BrdU(+)/NeuN(+) immunoreactive cells in the cortex and hippocampus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that MSD treatment in TBI rats could improve the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiation into neurons, which may facilitate neural regeneration and tissue repair and thus contribute to the recovery of neurological functions. These effects of modified "Shengyu" decoction may provide a foundation for the use of MSD as a prescription of medicinal herbs in the traditional medicine to treat brain injuries in order to improve the neurorestoration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Institute of Nautical Medicine and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, China.
authors.forename: Miao-Miao
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Institute of Nautical Medicine and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, China; Department of Neurology, The People׳s Hospital of Gaocheng, Hebei 052160, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Wei
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The People׳s Hospital of Ningxia, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Institute of Nautical Medicine and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, China. Electronic address: jiangzl@ntu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zheng-Lin
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Chinese Medicine, The People׳s Hospital of Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The People׳s Hospital of Ningxia, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The People׳s Hospital of Ningxia, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Chinese Medicine, The People׳s Hospital of Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The People׳s Hospital of Ningxia, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China. Electronic address: yclee7833@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yong-Cai
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Institute of Nautical Medicine and Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Medicinal herbs; Neurorestoration; Rat; Traditional medicine; Traumatic brain injury; “Shengyu” decoction