Objective: To investigate the effects of drug-contained sera (DCS) of Naoluo Xintong (NLXT) and Zuogui Pill (ZGP) on the proliferation and differentiation of in vitro cultured embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) in rats.
Methods: Rat's embryonic NSCs were cultured in medium supplemented with 10% DCS with NLXT and ZGP separately, the effects of DCS in enhancing proliferation and inducing differentiation were observed and compared by phase contrast microscopy and immunofluorescence staining.
Results: Majority of NSCs were induced to neurons, astrocytes or oligodendrocytes in medium supplemented with either DCS-NLXT or DCS-ZGP, with the growth of them promoted to some extent. However, DCS-NLXT induced the differentiation rather slowly but with the differentiated neurons more resemble to the mature neuron in morphology, while DCS-ZGP promoted the stem cell growth more effectively.
Conclusion: Both NLXT and ZGP could promote the differentiation and growth of in vitro cultured NSCs, but with exiguous difference. It is feasible to induce the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs by way of using Chinese medicine drug-therapy for supplementing qi and activating blood circulation as well as that for tonifying Shen to generate marrow.