Objective: To investigate the possible beneficial effects of administration of Naoluo Xintong Recipe (NLXT) on the expression of HSP70 and bFGF in rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.
Methods: We blindly randomized 40 male Wistar rats into 5 groups which were categorized as follows: (1); sham-operated group; (2) rats subjected to transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome (control group); (3) NLXT-treated group; (4) NLXT-pretreated group; (5) Nao'an Capsule-treated group. Focal brain ischemia was induced by the intraluminal suture MCA occlusion method after qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome had been made. The rats' brains were harvested at the 24h of reperfusion after 2h of MCA occlusion. The expression of HSP70 and bFGF was measured by by immunohistochemical staining.
Results: Strong HSP70 immunoreactivity in neurons was observed in NLXT-treated and NLXT-pretreated groups as compared to control group, and increased bFGF immunoreactivity in neurons was observed in the ischemic hemisphere in NLXT-pretreated group in comparison with the ischemic hemisphere in the control group (P<0.01). NLXT has stronger effects on HSP70 and bFGF than Nao'an Capsule.
Conclusion: The neuroprotective effects of Naoluo Xintong Recipe may be related to its up-regulation of HSP70 and bFGF in the rat brain after focal cerebral ischemia.