OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Yimucao (Herba leonuri) injection against experimental cerebral ischemia.

METHODSMouse models of cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral carotid artery occlusion or potassium cyanide and rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were established to evaluate the protective effect of Yimucao injection by measuring the changes in cerebral malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) after the injections.

RESULTSYimucao injection significantly lowered the cerebral index of mice with cerebral ischemia, prolonged the survival time of mice poisoned with potassium cyanide, resulting also in significantly decreased MDA content and increased activities of SOD and LDH in the brain tissue of rats after a 10-min cerebral ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONYimucao injection provides protective effect against experimental cerebral ischemia.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism