title: Oenanthe Javanica Extract Protects Against Experimentally Induced Ischemic Neuronal Damage via its Antioxidant Effects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica) as a popular traditional medicine in Asia shows various biological properties including antioxidant activity. In this study, we firstly examined the neuroprotective effect of Oenanthe javanica extract (OJE) in the hippocampal cornus ammonis 1 region (CA1 region) of the gerbil subjected to transient cerebral ischemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gerbils were established by the occlusion of common carotid arteries for 5 min. The neuroprotective effect of OJE was estimated by cresyl violet staining. In addition, 4 antioxidants (copper, zinc superoxide dismutase [SOD], manganese SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) immunoreactivities were investigated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pyramidal neurons in the CA1 region showed neuronal death at 5 days postischemia; at this point in time, all antioxidants immunoreactivities disappeared in CA1 pyramidal neurons and showed in many nonpyramidal cells. Treatment with 200 mg/kg, not 100 mg/kg, OJE protected CA1 pyramidal neurons from ischemic damage. In addition, 200 mg/kg OJE treatment increased or maintained antioxidants immunoreactivities. Especially, among the antioxidants, glutathione peroxidase immunoreactivity was effectively increased in the CA1 pyramidal neurons of the OJE-treated sham-operated and ischemia-operated groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our present results indicate that treatment with OJE can protect neurons from transient ischemic damage and that the neuroprotective effect may be closely associated with increased or maintained intracellular antioxidant enzymes by OJE.
authors.forename: Joon Ha
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jeong Hwi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: In Hye
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jae-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bai Hui
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bich-Na
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hyun-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Tae
authors.forename: Ki-Yeon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: SeongKweon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Il Jun
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Moo-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Division of Food Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Dai
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D031050:Oenanthe / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase