• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2016

Ampicillin, a ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotic, dose-dependently protects neurons against ischemic brain injury. The present study was performed to investigate the neuroprotective mechanism of ampicillin in a mouse model of transient global forebrain ischemia. Male C57BL/6 mice were anesthetized with halothane and subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 40 min. Before transient forebrain ischemia, ampicillin (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [i.p.]) or penicillin G (6,000 U/kg or 20,000 U/kg, i.p.) was administered daily for 5 days. The pretreatment with ampicillin but not with penicillin G significantly attenuated neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 subfield. Mechanistically, the increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) following forebrain ischemia was also attenuated by ampicillin treatment. In addition, the ampicillin treatment reversed increased immunoreactivities to glial fibrillary acidic protein and isolectin B4, markers of astrocytes and microglia, respectively. Furthermore, the ampicillin treatment significantly increased the level of glutamate transporter-1, and dihydrokainic acid (DHK, 10 mg/kg, i.p.), an inhibitor of glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1), reversed the neuroprotective effect of ampicillin. Taken together, these data indicate that ampicillin provides neuroprotection against ischemia-reperfusion brain injury, possibly through inducing the GLT-1 protein and inhibiting the activity of MMP in the mouse hippocampus.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.508-512
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• 2015

Background : Cerebral ischemia is as a result of insufficient cerebral blood flow for cerebral metabolic functions. Resveratrol is a natural phytoalexin that can be extracted from grape's skin and had potent role in treating the cerebral ischemia. Apoptosis, a genetically programmed cellular event which occurs after ischemia and leads to biochemical and morphological changes in cells. There are some useful markers for apoptosis like Bcl-2, bax, and p53. The last reports, researchers verify the apoptosis with early markers like Annexin V. Methods : We preferred in this experimental study a model of global cerebral infarction which was induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion method. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups : sham, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), I/R plus 20 mg/kg resveratrol and I/R plus 40 mg/kg resveratrol. Statistical analysis was performed using Sigmastat 3.5 ve IBM SPSS Statistics 20. We considered a result significant when p<0.001. Results : After administration of resveratrol, Bcl-2 and Annexin levels were significantly increased (p<0.001). Depending on the dose of resveratrol, Bcl2 levels increased, p53 levels decreased but Annexin V did not effected. P53 levels were significantly increased in ishemia group, so apoptosis is higher compared to other groups. Conclusion : In the acute period, Annexin V levels misleading us because the apoptotic cell counts could not reach a certain level. Therefore we should support our results with bcl-2 and p53.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2007

Ginseng powerfully tonifies the original Qi. Ginseng used for insomnia, palpitations with anxiety, restlessness from deficient Qi and blood and mental disorientation. In order to investigate whether Ginseng cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments, we examined the effect of Ginseng on ischemia-induced cell death in the hippocampus, and on the impaired learning and memory in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance in rats. Ginseng when administered to rat at a dose of 200 mg/kg i.p. water extracts to 0 minutes and 90 minutes after 4-VO, significantly neuroprotective effects by 86.4% in the hippocampus of treated rats. For behavior test, rats were administered Ginseng (200mg/kg p.o.) daily for two weeks, followed by their training to the tasks. Treatment with Ginseng produced a marked improvement in escape latency to find the platform in the Morris water maze. Ginseng reduced the ischemia-induced learning disability in the passive avoidance. Consistent with behavioral data, treatments with Ginseng reduced jschemia-induced cell death in the hippocampal CA1 area. Oxidative stress is a causal factor in the neuropathogenesis of ischemic-reperfusion injury. Oxidative stress was examined in a rat model of global brain ischemia. The effects of Ginseng on lipid peroxidation (inhibition of the production of malondialdehyde, MDA) in different regions of the rat brain were studied. Ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid (FeAs) were used to induce lipid peroxidation. The antiperoxidative effect showed 48-72% protection from tissue damage as compared with untreated animals. These results showed that Ginseng have a protective effect against ischemia-induced neuronal loss and learning and memory damage.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.817-828
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• 1997

In order to investigate pharmacological properties of New Woohwangchungsimwon Pill (NWCH) and Woohwangchungsimwon Pill(WCH), effects of NWCH and WCH on cerebral ischemia and central nervous system were compared. Cerebral ischemia insult was performed using unilateral carotid artery occlusion in Mongolian gerbils. The histological observations showed preventive effect of NWCH and WCH treatments with ischemia-induced brain damage. The ATP in brain tissue was decreased in vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils. This decrease was prevented by NWCH and WCH treatment. In contrast to what was seen with ATP, the lactate and lipid peroxide were both elevated in vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils. This elevation was inhibited by NWCH and WCH treatments. In central nervous system, NWCH and WCH had sedative effect in rotarod and spontaneous activity test, but no effects on the hexobarbital-induced sleeping time. And, NWCH and WCH had weak anticonvulsion effects in electric shock- and pentetrazol-induced convulsion test. NWCH and WCH increased the respiration rate, but decreased the respiration depth in rats. Furthermore, NWCH and WCH showed antistress effect. Our findings suggest that the pharmacological profiles of NWCH on cerebral ischemia and central nervous system are similar to that of WCH.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 1998

It has been well documented that transient forebrain global ischemia causes selective neuronal degeneration in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons with a delay of a few days. The mechanism of this delayed hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuronal death (DND) is still controversial. To delineate the mechanisms of the DND, the effects of treatment with MK-801, an NMDA receptor antagonist, kynurenic acid, a NMDA/non-NMDA receptor antagonist, and/or cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, on the DND were investigated in male Wistar rats. To examine the participation of apoptotic neuronal death in the DND, TUNEL staining was performed in ischemic brain section. Global ischemia was induced by 4-vessel occlusion for 20 min. All animals in this study showed the DND 3 and 7 days after the ischemic insult. The DND that occured 3 days and 7 days after the ischemia were not affected by pretreatment with MK-801 (1 mg/kg), but markedly attenuated by the pretreatment with kynurenic acid (500 mg/kg). Treatment with cycloheximide (1 mg/kg) also markedly inhibited the DND. The magnitudes of attenuation by the two drugs were similar. The magnitude of attenuation by co-treatments with kynurenic acid and cycloheximide was not greater than that with any single treatment. TUNEL staining was negative in the sections obtained 1 or 2 days after the ischemic insults, but it was positive at hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells in sections collected 3 days after the ischemia. These results suggested that the DND should be mediated by the activation of non-NMDA receptor, not by the activation of NMDA receptor and that the activation of AMPA receptor should induce the apoptotic process in the DND.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2000

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotection effect of estrogen on brain atrophy following cerebral infarction. Method : All animals in this study were classified into 4 groups; ovariectomy group (OVXgroup), cerebral infarction group (INF group), combination ovariectomy and cerebral infarction group (OVX + INF group), and naturally intact group for control data (NOR group). Cerebral infarction was made by Chen's method with some modification. Ovariectomy was performed by Wayforth's method. Experimental data for each group was collected at 15 days, month, 3 months, and 6 months after starting observation. Serum $17{\beta}-estradiol(E2)$ was determined by radioimmunoassay. Brain volume was measured and calculated with image analysis. Each brain was sliced at intervals of 2mm in chamber after 30 min of freezing in refregerater. Cerebral volume was obtained by sum of volume of each slice level, which was mean $area{\;}{\times}{\;}2mm$. Results : Cerebral ischemia was found to decrease the serum concentration of $17{\beta}-{\;}estradiol(E2)$ and to inhibit the physiologically conpensatary function of the ovariectomized rats. Also we found that deprivation of estrogen have resulted in more severe cerebral atrophy followed by cerebral infarction. Conclusion : It is suggested that estrogen has a neuroprotection effect on cerebral atrophy following cerebral infarction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2006

Objective : Middle cerebral artery occlusion[MCAO] has widely been used to produce ischemic brain lesions. The lesions induced by MCAO tend to be variable in size because of the variance in the collateral blood supply found in the mouse brain. To establish a less invasive and reproducible focal ischemia model in mice, we modified the technique used for rat photo thrombosis model. Methods : Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to focal cerebral ischemia by photothrombosis of cortical microvessels. Cerebral infarction was produced by intraperitoneal injection of Rose Bengal, a photosensitive dye and by focal illumination through the skull. Motor impairment was assessed by the accelerating rotarod and staircase tests. The brain was perfusion-fixed for histological determination of infarct volume four weeks after stroke. Results : The lesion was located in the frontal and parietal cortex and the underlying white matter was partly affected. A relatively constant infarct volume was achieved one month after photothrombosis. The presence of the photothrombotic lesion was associated with severe impairment of the motor performance measured by the rotarod and staircase tests. Conclusion : Photothrombotic infarction in mice is highly reproducible in size and location. This procedure can provide a simple method to produce cerebral infarction in a unilateral motor cortex lesion. In addition, it can provide a suitable model for study of potential neuroprotective and therapeutic agents in human stroke.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.645-661
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• 2009

The water extract of Dohongsamul-Tang(DHSMT) has been traditionally used to stroke and brain injuries in Oriental Medicine. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of DHSMT on the gene expression profile of cerebral infarction by cDNA microarray in photothrombotic ischemia mouse model. Photothrombotic ischemia was induced in stereotactically held male BALB/c mice using rose bengal and cold light. MRI was performed 24 hours after inducing photothrombosis using 1.5 T MRI and 47 mm surface coil to obtain T2-weighted, and contrast-enhanced images. After MRI test, animal was sacrificed and the brain sections were stained for hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry. MRI and histological analysis revealed that lesion of thrombotic ischemia was well induced in the cortex with the evidence of biological courses of infarction. The target area of thrombotic infarction was 1 mm anterior to bregma and 3 mm lateral to midline with 2 mm in diameter, which were decreased by administration of DHSMT. To assess gene expression pattern of cerebral infarction, mRNA was isolated and reacted with microarray chip(Agilant's DNA Microarray 44K). Scatter and MA plot analysis were performed to clustering of each functional genes. M value [M=log2(R/G), A={log2(R ${\times}$ G)}/2] was between -0.5 and +0.5 with 40% difference. After pretreatment with DHSMT, the expression levels of mRNA of many genes involved in various signaling pathway such as apoptosis, cell cycle, cell proliferation, response to oxidative stress, immune response, angiogenesis, and inflammatory cytokine were markedly inhibited in photothrombotic ischemia lesion compared to the control group. These results suggest that DHSMT prevent ischemic death of brain on photothrombotic ischemia model of mice through modulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.161-174
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• 2001

Objectives : The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the effect of Chungpesagan-Tang Extracts on reversible forebrain ischemia in Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods : the volume of cerebral infarction and edema, the pathohistological change of neurons, the number of survived neurons, neurotransmitters through immunohistochemical methods, proteins connected with neurotransmitters through immunohistochemical methods and the pathohistological change of neurons through electro-microscopy were investigated. From these reseach data, the protection of neurons and the activity of brain cells were examined. Results : 1. The infaction volume of the control group was 23.9%, and that of the sample group was 16%. 2. The brain edema volume of the control group increased by 17% compared to the normal group and that of the sample group increased by 10%. 3. The light microscopy revealed that the neurons in the ischemia-induced area and CA1 area of hippocampus were most heavily damaged and that the sample group was less damaged compared with the control group. Most pyramidal neurons died in 7 days when brain ischemia was induced. 4. The number of survived pyramidal neurons in the CA1 area of the hippocampus were studied. The normal group had 93 neurons/mm, survived the control group(after 3 days) had 21/mm, the control group(after 7 days) had 3/mm and the sample group 33/mm. 5. The immunohistochemical methods revealed that: (1) In the control group, the sensitivity of GABA, NOS, DBH were increased, and those of Synapsin, eEF-$1{\alpha}$ decreased. NOS and DBH had positive reactions in the control group, but negative in the normal group. (2) In thd sample group, the sensitivity of GABA, NOS, DBH were attenuated, and those of NPY, Synapsin, CaMKII, eEF-$1{\alpha}$ increased when compared to the control group. 6. The electro-microscopy revealed that most neurons died by necrosis and some neurons died by apoptosis. Several imflammation cells appeared in the injured area of neurons. The number of neurons in the sample group that died by ischemia decreased. But, the number that died by apoptosis did not significantly change. Conclusions : The data shows that the effect of Chungpesagan-Tang Extracts on reversible forebrain ischemia in Sprague-Dawley rats is significant.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2007

Background: Cerebral blood vessels are innervated by sympathetic nerves that originate in the superior cervical ganglia (SCG). This study was conducted to determine the effect of an SCG block on brain injury caused by focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in a rat model. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (270-320 g) were randomly assigned to one of three groups (lidocaine, ropivacaine, and control). After brain injury induced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion/reperfusion, the animals were administered an SCG bloc that consisted of $30{\mu}l$ of 2% lidocaine or 0.75% ropivacaine, with the exception of animals in the control group, which received no treatment. Twenty four hours after brain injury was induced, neurologic scores were assessed and brain samples were collected. The infarct and edema ratios were measured, and DNA fragmented cells were counted in the frontoparietal cortex and the caudoputamen. Results: No significant differences in neurologic scores or edema ratios were observed among the three groups. However, the infarct ratio was significantly lower in the ropivacaine group than in the control group (P < 0.05), and the number of necrotic cells in the caudoputamen of the ropivacaine group was significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.01). Additionally, the number of necrotic and apoptotic cells in theropivacaine group were significantly lower than inthe control group in both the caudoputamen and the frontoparietal cortex (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Brain injury induced by focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion was reduced by an SCG block using local anesthetics. This finding suggests that a cervical sympathetic block could be considered as another treatment option for the treatment of cerebral vascular diseases.