Mechanism of therapeutic effect of QingKaiLing-ingredient combination on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

AIM:To elucidate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of QingKaiLing (QKL)-ingredient combination on cerebral ischemia. METHODS:Rat focal brain ischemia reperfusion injury was produced by occlusion in the middle cerebral artery. MRI and histological analysis were used to evaluate the brain injury induced by ischemia and the attenuations by the drugs including QKL-ingredient combination and the positive control nimodipine. In situ hybridization was used to measure the expression of BDNF mRNA in the brain. RESULTS:A significant neuroprotective effect was observed in the QKL-ingredient combination treatment group, which was superior to that in the nimodipine treatment group. The expression of BDNF mRNA in the brain was also significantly up-regulated by the QKL-ingredient combination treatment in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. CONCLUSION:The QKL ingredients show a neuro-protective effect, the mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of BDNF in the brain.