Therapeutical Effect Of Taraxacum Mongo On Rats After Acute Brain Injury

[Objectives] There exit primary pathological changes and secondary pathological changes after traumatic brain injury(TBI). The free radical and the neuronal apoptosis are mainly responsible for the secondary pathological changes after TBI. Taraxacum mongo (TM) is one kind of catananche renascent herbs, and has various pharmacological effects, such as broad-spectrum antibiotic, antimutation, antitumor, and oxidation resistance and so on. The aim of the experiment is to establish TBI model, observe the effect of TM on TBI, investigate the relation between the mechanisms of TM and the SOD, GSH-PX, neuronal apoptosis in CA1 area of hippocampus, and laid a theory and practice foundation for the application and development of TM.[Methods] 144 male healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups as follow :(1) normal control group(C group); (2) sham surgery group (SS group); (3) traumatic brain injury group (TBI group, PR group); (4) low dose TM treated group (LDT group); (5) medium dose TM treated group (MDT group) (6) High dose TM treated group (HDT group); each had 24 rats. TBI model was established by using improved Marmarou' method. Biochemical assay, HE staining assay, and TUNEL in situ and immunohistochemistry assay were used to observe the effects of TM on MDA contents, activities of SOD, activities of GSH-PX and neuronal apoptosis in CA1 region of hippocampus.[Results] 1. In TBI group, HE staining showed that the distemperedly arrayed neurons, neuron loss, extensive edema, lots of degenerated neurons and necrotic neurons, swollon neurons and the dark stained nucleus could be observed in CA1 region of hippocampus; Nucleolus pycnosis, vacuolar degeneration and serious interstitial edema could be found in parts of neurons. The results were consistent with manifestation described by Marmarou. The high, medium and low dose of TM could attenuate the dark stained nucleus, nucleolus pycnosis and interstitial edema in various degrees. Normal cellular morphology, structural integrity, aligned neuron, few dark stained nucleus and few nucleolus pycnosis could be observed in CA1 region of hippocampus in HDP group.2. Compared with the C group and SS group, the brain water content in TBI group were significantly increased, P<0.01; the water content in LDT and MDT were significantly lower than those in TBI group, (P<0.05); the water content in HDT were significantly lower than those in TBI group, (P<0.01); It can be conclude that TM could significantly attenuate the degree of hydrocephalus in rats after acute traumatic injury, and protect the brain with dose dependent.3. Compared with the C group and SS group, the MDA content in TBI group were significantly increased, P<0.01; the MDA content in LDT and MDT were significantly lower than those in TBI group, (P<0.05); the MDA content in HDT were significantly lower than those in TBI group, (P<0.01); It can be conclude that the medium and low dose of TM could inhibit the increase of MDA content in rats after acute traumatic injury, and the high dose of TM could significantly inhibit the increase of MDA content in rats after acute traumatic injury.4. Compared with the C group and SS group, the activities of SOD in TBI group were significantly decreased, P<0.01; the activities of SOD in LDT and MDT were significantly higher than those in TBI group, (P<0.05); the activities of SOD in HDT were significantly higher than those in TBI group, (P<0.01); It can be conclude that the medium and low dose of TM could promote the increase of the activities of SOD in rats after acute traumatic injury, and the high dose of TM could significantly promote the increase of the activities of SOD in rats after acute traumatic injury.5. Compared with the C group and SS group, the activities of GSH-PX in TBI group were significantly decreased, P<0.01; the activities of GSH-PX in LDT and MDT were significantly higher than those in TBI group, (P<0.05); the activities of GSH-PX in HDT were significantly higher than those in TBI group, (P<0.01); It can be conclude that the medium and low dose of TM could promote the increase of the activities of GSH-PX in rats after acute traumatic injury, and the high dose of TM could signifieantly promote the increase of the activities of GSH-PX in rats after acute traumatic injury.6. Few TUNEL positive apoptosis neurons could be detected in CA1 region of hippocampus of rats in C group and SS group; lots of TUNEL positive apoptosis neurons could be observed in CA1 region of hippocampus of rats in TBI group; Compared with the TBI group, the number of TUNEL positive apoptosis neurons in LDT, MDT and HDT group were signifieantly decreased, (P<0.05).[Conclusions] 1. TM can reduce degree of hydrocephalus, improve morphologicalconditions in the brain and has neuroprotective actions after acute traumatic brain; 2. TM can increase the reduced level of SOD and GSH-PX activity, inhibit the level of lipid peroxidation, and reduce the number of neurons apoptosis after TBI, and therefore has neuroprotective actions after acute traumatic brain.