Biomedical Research

Objectives: This study was to observe the effects of Resina Draconis water extracts (RDWE) on traumatic nerve cell apoptosis, oxidative damage and inflammatory reaction of brain in rats.

Methods: 100 healthy Wistar male rats were selected and randomly divided into sham operation group, brain injury group, Resina Draconis water extract 40 or 80 mg/kg group, 25 rats each group. Making traumatic brain injury animal model by improved Feeney's free falling body injury device. The rats were given 1ml of 0.9% sodium chloride and different doses of Resina Draconis (40 and 80 mg kg^-1) by intraperitoneal injections for 5 days. Then killed for blood, taken out the whole brain tissue at 2 h, 6 h, 24 h, 1 d, 3 d and 5 d after traumatic brain injury. Serum superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), concentration of MDA (MDA), interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IL- 6 (IL-6) concentration were detected. Brain tissue apoptosis of neural cells were detected by in situ terminal transferase labeling technique, and then statistical analysis.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) that the rat neuronal apoptosis quantity. The SOD activities and the levels of MDA, IL-1, TNF-α and IL-6 of Resina Draconis (80 mg kg-1) group was significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared with the brain injury group at the five times, but shows no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in 2 h and 6 h after traumatic brain injury.

Conclusions: It is possible to reduce the free radicals and inflammatory responses in vivo, which could inhibit the apoptosis of nerve cells after traumatic brain injury.

Author(s): Jincheng Zhang, Kerong Dai
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