Abstract
Citri Reticulatae Viride Pericarpium extract(CRVP) have been used in oriental medicine for many centuries as a therapeutic agent for Soothing the liver and regulating the circulation of qi(疏肝理氣), and promoting digestion and removing stagnated food(消積化滯). The effects of CRVP on the vascular system is not known. The purpose of this Study was to investigate the effects of CRVP on the pial arterial diameter and regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) in normal rats and ischemic cerebrovascular pathologic model rats. The changes in rCBF was determinated by Laser-Doppler Flowmetry(LDF), and the changes in pial arterial diameter were determinated by video microscopy methods and video analyzer. The results were as follows ; 1. Pial arterial diameter was significantly increased by CRVP in a dose-dependent manner. 2. Pretreatment with L-NNA significantly inhibited CRVP induced increased rCBF and pial arterial diameter. 3. Both the methylene chloride fraction and the hexane fraction of CRVP dose-dependently improved the altered cerebral hemodynamics of cerebral ischemic animal by increasing rCBF. 4. Pretreatment with L-NNA and indomethacin significantly inhibited CRVP(MC) induced increased rCBF. 5. Pretreatment with L-NNA and indomethacin significantly inhibited CRVP(hexane) induced increased rCBF. 6. Pretreatment with CRVP maredly stabilized the changes rCBF and pial arterial diameter during the period of cerebral reperusion. In conclusion, CRVP causes a diverse response of rCBF and pial arterial diameter, and CRVP dose-dependently improved the altered cerebral hemodynamics of cerebral ischemic animal by increasing rCBF and pial arterial diameter. These results suggest that the improvement of cerebral hemodynamics is also mediated by nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase.