Effects Of Baicalin On The Expression Of HO-1 And NQO1 On Hippocampal Tissue In Mice After Status Epilepticus

Part I Neuroprotective effect of Baicalin on hippocampal tissue in mice after status epilepticusObjective This investigation was performed to explore the neuroprotective effect and of Baicalin on hippocampal neurons after status epilepticus induced by kainic acid in miceMethods Divided 18 ICR male mice(weighing 22–28g) into three groups randomly: control(n=6), status epilepticus(SE, n=6)and baicalin group(n=6),to which baicalin was administered at doses of 100mg/kg. To set up an animal model of status epilepticus, 0.1μg/5μl kainic acid(KA) was injected into the intracerebral ventricle of the mouse. The mice were then received intraperitoneal injection with baicalin(100mg/kg) or vehicle. We used Hematoxylin and Eosin(HE) staining to test the pathological changes in hippocampus area 24 h after SE in mice.Results To observe by HE staining: About 24 h after the onset of SE: The structure of hippocampal in Control group remains normal, pyramidal cells subfield with eumorphism, even shading, reddish cytoplasm, blue and relatively clear nucleus. The structure of CA3 area of hippocampal in SE group is obviously abnormal, cells are disordered and deeply blue dyed, appeared shrunken with eosinophilic cytoplasm and triangulated pyknotic nuclei, nucleolus disappeared. Baicalin group has improved significantly compared with SE group.Conclusion Baicalin could significantly relieve neuronal apoptosis to protect hippocampal neurons after status epilepticus in mice.Part II Effects of baicalin on the expression of HO-1 and NQO1 on hippocampal tissue in mice after status epilepticusObjective This investigation was performed to observe the expression of HO-1 and NQO1, and to explore the neuroprotective principle of Baicalin on hippocampal neurons after status epilepticus induced by kainic acid in mice.Methods Divided 18 ICR male mice into three groups randomly: control(n=6), status epilepticus(SE, n=6)and baicalin group(n=6), to which baicalin was administered at doses of 100mg/kg. To set up an animal model of status epilepticus, 0.1μg/5μl kainic acid(KA) was injected into the intracerebral ventricle of the mouse.The mice were then received intraperitoneal injection with baicalin(100mg/kg) or vehicle. We used immunohistochemistry and western blot to detect the expression of HO-1 and NQO1.Results ① Immunohistochemistry showed the control group had only a few scattered yellow-brown positive cells of HO-1 and NQO1, while the SE group can be seen numerous and densely distributed positive cells. Compared with the SE group, the brown granular positive cells of Baicalin treatment group increased significantly and their differences was obvious. ②Western blot showed that the expression of the protein 1evel of HO-1 and NQO1 of control group were scant, but it increased remarkablely after status epilepticus(P<0.05). Compared with the SE group, Baicalin could obviously up-regulate the expression of HO-1 and NQO1 protein(P<0.05).Conclusion The up-regulation of the expression of HO-1 and NQO1 on hippocampus in mice after status epilepticus, may be a self-protective mechanism of the nervous system, and baicalin can further increase the expression of these two kinds of protein, enhance the neuroprotective effect.