Impact of preconditioning of puerarin on infarction size and pyramidal cell after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats

Objective To investigate influence of puerarin preconditioning on infarction size and pyramidal cell after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats. Methods The rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were establishment. SD rats (n=72) were randomly divided into three groups each consised of 24 rats. S group only exposed anatomically without reperfusion. Rats in IR group and P group were give reperfusion with administration of normal saline and puerarin through abdomen, respectively. Based on the hours after the rats were killed, the rats in each group were divided into three subgroups each consisted of 8 rats. TTC staining was applied to determine infarction volume. The pathohistology in hippocampus was examined by HE staining. Results There no infarct foci were observed in S group. The infarct size of P group were significantly smaller than that of IR group, respectively (P0.05 or P0.01). The extent of damange to hippocampus neurons in rats of P group were slighter significantly than that of IR group. The quantity of viable pyramidal cell in rats of P group at various time was significant mor than that of IR group (P=0.014, P=0.004). Conclusion The preconditioning of puerarin can reduce the infarction area of focal cerebral ischemia due to reperfusion injury and protect the pyramdalcells in rats.