RESUMO
The radioprotective effect of herb epimedium (or yin yang huo) extract (5 g/kg, oral administration daily for 4 weeks) on neurogenesis and cognition after acute radiation exposure with 5.5 Gy was evaluated in Balb/c mice by behavioral tests and immunohistochemical study. The results indicated that epimedium extract could improve animal weight loss, locomotor activity and spatial learning and memory which are similar to pre-irradiation intraperitoneal injection (100 mg/kg) of amifostine phosphate, a well- known radioprotective drug. Immunohistochemical study showed that epimedium extract prevented the loss of proliferation cells, newly generated neurons, and interneurons in the hilus, in particular, the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus. It suggests that herb epimedium may be a promising radio-neuro-protective drug to prevent radiation-induced neuropsychological disorders.
Assuntos
Cognição/efeitos dos fármacos , Cognição/efeitos da radiação , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/farmacologia , Neurogênese/efeitos dos fármacos , Neurogênese/efeitos da radiação , Animais , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos da radiação , Giro Denteado/efeitos dos fármacos , Giro Denteado/efeitos da radiação , Epimedium/química , Interneurônios , Masculino , Memória , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Aprendizagem Espacial/efeitos dos fármacos , Aprendizagem Espacial/efeitos da radiação , Memória Espacial/efeitos dos fármacos , Memória Espacial/efeitos da radiaçãoRESUMO
With rapidly increased construction of nuclear power plants worldwide to reduce energy shortage and subsequent environment contamination, routine use of radiotherapy and radiodiagnosis equipment in the clinical medicine, the research on the health effect of radiation exposure has become a very important area to explore. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may be an ideal candidate therapy as it usually produces fewer side effects even with long-term administration. In this paper, we reviewed current therapeutic approaches to prevent radiation-induced brain neuropathological and functional changes. Neuroprotective effects of TCM in different brain injury models have been briefly summarized. We then reviewed the neuroprotective and radioprotective effect of TCM in different radiation exposure models and discussed the potential molecular mechanism(s) of the neuroprotective and radioprotective effect of TCM. The conclusions and future research directions were made in the last part of the paper.