Jui-Chu Chen1. 1. Department of Food and Beverage Management, Jen-Teh College of Medicine, Nursing & Management, Hou-loung Town, Miaoli County, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: un289012@ms41.hinet.net.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbs and acupuncture on the neuronal apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related genes in the brain tissue of rats following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: Collagenase VII was injected into the caudate nucleus of Sprague-Dawley rats to induce ICH. Chinese herbs (musk, borneol and tetrandrine) were intragastrically administered, and acupuncture was performed using Dazhui, Fengfu and Shuigou acupoints. Each group was further subdivided into 4 subgroups based on treatment duration (6-hour, 24-hour, 72-hour, and 1-week). Neurological impairment score, TUNEL assay and apoptotic markers, BCL-2, BAX, and caspase-3 were used to evaluate the apoptosis status after ICH and subsequent treatment. RESULTS: Chinese herbal therapy and acupuncture improved neurological impairment compared with no therapy and sham-operated animals. Significant differences in TUNEL positive cells were found between treatment groups (p < 0.001) and over time (p < 0.001). Differential expression of BCL-2, BAX, and caspase-3 was observed between treatment groups (p = 0.014 for BAX and < 0.05 for BCL-2 and caspase-3) and treatment duration groups (p = 0.006 for BAX and < 0.05 BCL-2 and caspase-3). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that Chinese herbs and acupuncture may improve neural impairment and reduce apoptosis, although there was no difference between therapies in a rat model of ICH. Additional experiments are needed to further clarify the role of these therapies following ICH.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbs and acupuncture on the neuronal apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related genes in the brain tissue of rats following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: Collagenase VII was injected into the caudate nucleus of Sprague-Dawley rats to induce ICH. Chinese herbs (musk, borneol and tetrandrine) were intragastrically administered, and acupuncture was performed using Dazhui, Fengfu and Shuigou acupoints. Each group was further subdivided into 4 subgroups based on treatment duration (6-hour, 24-hour, 72-hour, and 1-week). Neurological impairment score, TUNEL assay and apoptotic markers, BCL-2, BAX, and caspase-3 were used to evaluate the apoptosis status after ICH and subsequent treatment. RESULTS: Chinese herbal therapy and acupuncture improved neurological impairment compared with no therapy and sham-operated animals. Significant differences in TUNEL positive cells were found between treatment groups (p < 0.001) and over time (p < 0.001). Differential expression of BCL-2, BAX, and caspase-3 was observed between treatment groups (p = 0.014 for BAX and < 0.05 for BCL-2 and caspase-3) and treatment duration groups (p = 0.006 for BAX and < 0.05 BCL-2 and caspase-3). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that Chinese herbs and acupuncture may improve neural impairment and reduce apoptosis, although there was no difference between therapies in a rat model of ICH. Additional experiments are needed to further clarify the role of these therapies following ICH.