Protective effects of kamikihi-to, a traditional Chinese medicine, against cerebral ischemia, hypoxia and anoxia in mice and gerbils.

Abstract

The protective effects of Kamikihi-To (KMK), a traditional Chinese medicine, against cerebral ischemia, hypoxia and anoxia were investigated with various experimental models in mice and gerbils. KMK (2.0 g/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days) significantly prolonged the survival time of mice subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. KMK (0.5 and 2.0 g/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days) also prolonged the survival time of mice injected with N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA: 80 mg/kg, i.v.). Furthermore, KMK (in a diet containing 8% KMK given orally for 34 days) showed protective effects against delayed neuronal death in CA1 pyramidal cells in the gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia. On the other hand, we failed to show any protective effects of KMK (0.5-2.0 g/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days) against normobaric hypoxia and KCN-induced cytotoxic anoxia in mice. These results suggest that KMK may have protective effects against cerebral ischemic disorders, but not against severe hypoxic and anoxic disorders.

• Authors: K Nishizawa, O Inoue, Y Saito, A Suzuki
• Journal: Japanese journal of pharmacology (Jpn J Pharmacol) Vol. 64 Issue 3 Pg. 171-7 (Mar 1994) ISSN: 0021-5198 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 8022119 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• kamikihi-to
• N-Methylaspartate
• Potassium Cyanide

Topics

• Animals
• Brain Ischemia (etiology, pathology, prevention & control)
• Carotid Artery Diseases (complications)
• Carotid Artery, Common
• Cell Death (drug effects)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Gerbillinae
• Hippocampus (blood supply, drug effects, pathology)
• Hypoxia (chemically induced, prevention & control)
• Male
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• N-Methylaspartate (toxicity)
• Neurons (drug effects, pathology)
• Potassium Cyanide
• Pyramidal Cells (drug effects, pathology)