Effect of astragus injection on apoptosis of neuronal cell and expression of apoptosis-associated genes after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion

Objective To investigate the effect of astragus injection on apoptosis of neuronal cells and expression of apoptosis-associated genes Bc1-2,Bax protein after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.Methods 36 SD rats were divided randomly into sham-operated group, model group and astragus group. Neuronal cell apoptosis of rats brain tissues in every group was analyzed by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin mick nick end labelin(TUNEL). Expression of Bc1-2 and Baxproteins were measured by immunohiotochemistry combined with MIPS methods. Results Compared with those in sham-ooperated group, the number of neural apoptotic cells and the expression of positive neuronal cells of Bc1-2 and Bax proteins increased in brain tissues of model group rats (P0.01). Compared with those in model group, the number of neural apoptotic cells and the expression of positive neuronal cells of Bax protein decreased, the expression of positiveneuronal cells of Bc1-2 protein increased in rats′brain tissues of astragus group(P0.05).Conclusions Astragus injection could have neuroprotective effect by inhibiting neuronal cell apoptosis. Its mechanism may be associated with the improved expression of Bc1-2 protein and down-reguated expression of Bax protein by astragus injection.