The protective effect of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae composita in cerebral ischemia
Kuang, P.G.; Zhou, X.F.; Xu, B.; Zhang, F.Y.
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 3(3): 193-198
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0255-2922 PMID: 6556404 Document Number: 197349
Injection Radix Saliviae Miltiorrhizae composta (RSMC herb 2 g/ml) is composed of 1:1 extracts of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae and Dalbergia odorifera. The efficacy of RSMC in the treatment of cerebral ischemia was tested in 116 Mongolian gerbils that underwent left common carotid artery ligation under ether. Some of the animals (16 sham-operated, 20 saline-treated, 20 RSMC-treated) were evaluated for neurologic deficit at 3 h postligation, then quickly sacrificed by decapitation. The contents of brain monoamines in each hemisphere and brain stem were determined. In saline-treated animals bilateral depletions of cerebral monoamines were seen. In RSMC-treated animals no significant falls in DA content of ipsilateral hemisphere showed a slight statistically significant decrease (P < 0.05) compared with the sham-operated, but a marked significant increase (P < 0.01) compared with the saline-treated animals. The contents of contralateral hemisphere and brain stem had no significant decreases. Only 2 of 20 RSMC-treated animals developed neurologic deficit 3 h postligation as compared to 10 out of 20 saline-treated gerbils (P < 0.01). Successive evaluation of the neurologic status of 60 animals (30 saline-treated, 30 RSMC-treated) indicated that 15 (50%) of those treated with saline died prior to the 5th day and that the RSMC-treated groups showed a benign clinical course. Only 6 (20%) died (P < 0.01). Evidently, the protective action of RSMC in cerebral ischemia is associated with its possible effect on brain monoamines.