Influence of β-aescinum natrium on brain edema after cerebral infarction in rats

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of β- aescinum natrium on brain edema after cerebral infarction in rats.Methods Twelve male SD rats were randomized into control group(n=6) and treatment group(n=6).The model of focal cerebral infarction was established with obstructing middle cerebral artery of rat by suture emboli.Rats of treatment group were treated by injectingβaescinum natrium(5 mg/kg·d)into abdominal cavity immediately after the models were established.The same amount of normal saline was injected into the control group rats.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) was performed at 6 h,1,3,5 and 7 d after the success of model making.Cerebral infarction volume,edema absorption rate,signal intensity ratio(SIR)of T1 weighted imaging( T1WI),T2 weighted imaging(T2WI),fluid-attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) sequences in the infarction zone and relative variance ratio of SIR( SIR)were measured and calculated.Results In the treatment group,the cerebral infarction volumes at 3、5、7 d after the models were significantly less than in the control group(P 0.05~0.01),the edema absorption rate,which was the 7th day against the third day after infarction,was significantly higher than in the control group(P 0.05).At 3、5、7 d,the SIR of T1WI were all higher than in the control group,and the SIR of T2WI and FLAIR were all lower than in the control group(P 0.05~0.01).The SIR of DWI in the treatment group was obviously lower than in the control group at 7 d(P 0.05).The SIR of T2WI、FLAIR and DWI were significantly higher than in the control group(P 0.05~0.01).Conclusions β- aescinum natrium has a significant therapeutic effect on brain edema after cerebral infarction.