Effects of astragalus on neuronal apoptosis and c-fos expression after focal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Objective To explore neuroprotective effects of astragalus on neuronal apoptosis and c-fos expression after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.Methods The model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was made by occluding middle cerebral artery(MCA) for 2h and reperfusion for 24 h.24 male wistar rats each weighing 280～320 g were randomized into astragalus group,ischemia-reperfusion group and sham operation group.Astragalus group received an i.p.injection of astragalus(200 mg/kg body weight) at very onset of ischemia,sham operation group and ischemia-reperfusion group same doses of saline.The brains were removed 24 h after reperfusion.Apoptosis and c-fos expression were observed.Results Apoptosis was observed in ischemia group and astragalus group,while no TUNEL positive cell was founded in sham operation group.Compared with ischemia,the number of apoptotic cell decreased significantly with astragalus tretment,and c-fos expression was decreased.Conclusion Astragalus could inhibit apoptosis of cortical neurons after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats,partially mediated by down-regulating of c-fos.