Objective: To evaluate the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (, BYHWD) on glial scar after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and investigate the underlying mechanism.
Methods: Collagenase type VII (0.5 U) was injected stereotaxically into right globus pallidus to induce ICH model. One hundred and twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups according to a random number table, including normal group (n=40), ICH model group (n=40) and BYHWD group (n=40), respectively. After ICH, the rats in the BYHWD group were intragastrically administered with BYHWD (4.36 g/kg) once a day for 21 days, while the rats in ICH group were administered with equal volume of distilled water for 21 days, respectively. Double immunolabeling was performed for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)+/glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)+ nuclei. The expression of GFAP and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results: The astrocytes with hypertrophied morphology around the hematoma was observed on day 3 after ICH. The number of GFAP positive cells and GFAP mRNA levels increased notably on day 3 and reached the peak on day 14 post-ICH (P<0.01). PCNA+/GFAP+ nuclei were observed around the hematoma and reached the peak on day 14 post-ICH (P<0.01). In addition, LIF-positive astrocytes and LIF mRNA level in the hemorrhagic region increased significantly till day 14 post-ICH (P<0.01). However, BYHWD not only reduced the number of PCNA+/GFAP+ nuclei, but also decreased GFAP and LIF levels (P<0.05).
Conclusions: BYHWD could attenuate ICH-induced glial scar by downregulating the expression of LIF in the rats.
Keywords: Buyang Huanwu Decoction; Chinese medicine; glial scar; intracerebral hemorrhage; leukemia inhibitory factor.