OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of three traditional Chinese medicinal compounds on energy metabolism related enzymes in cerebral tissue of rats after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R).

METHODSThe local cerebral I/R model was established by ligation of the middle cerebral arteries (MCA). The animals were divided into the sham-operative group, the model group, the Yiqi Huoxue Recipe (YHR) group, the Zhengan Xifeng Decoction (ZXD) group and the Xinglou Chengqi Decoction (XCD) group. The mitochondria in brain tissue was obtained by density-centrifugation and differential centrifugation, then the activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), Na+ -K+ -ATPase, creatine kinase-BB (CK-BB) in homogenate of brain tissue were measured by chemical chromometry.

RESULTSActivities of SDH and Na+-K+ -ATPase were lower and that of CK-BB was higher in the model group than those in the sham -operative group at all time points after I/R (P< 0.01). Compared with those in the model group, activity of Na+ -K+ -ATPase was higher only in the ZXD group at 24 h after I/R, while at 48 h and 72 h after I/R, activities of both SDH and Na+ -K+ -ATPase were higher in all the treatment groups. As for the activity of CK-BB, it was lower in all the treatment groups (P < 0.05). The optimal effect was shown in the ZXD group at 24 h, in the XCD group at 48 h, and in the YHR group at 72 h after I/R.

CONCLUSIONThe three traditional Chinese medicinal compounds could reduce pathologic injury after focal cerebral I/R in rats by promoting activity of SDH and Na+ -K+ -ATPase and inhibiting that of CK-BB, the optimal effect of ZXD was shown at 24 h after I/R, that of XCD at 48 h after I/R and of YHR at 72 h after I/R.

Animals ; Creatine Kinase, BB Form ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; etiology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; complications ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Succinate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of Ginaton (Ginkgo biloba leaf extract) on the myocardial injury markers (MIMs) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

METHODSForty patients with congenital heart diseases, scheduled to take atrial septum or ventricular septum repairing operation, were randomly divided into the Ginaton group and the control group, 20 cases in each group. Patients in both groups received St. Thomas' cardioplegic perfusion via radix aortae, while Ginaton (0.5 mg/kg) was added into the perfusion for the Ginton group. Cardiac surgery were started after complete heart arrest. Central venous blood was obtained before and at 0, 6th, 12th, 24th and 48th hour after operation for detection of serum C reaction protein (CRP) by immunoturbidimetry, as well as creation kinase-MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThere was no difference in serum concentration of CRP, CK-MB, cTnT and cTnI between the two groups before operation (P > 0.05). These indexes increased immediately after operation in both groups ( P < 0.05). They reached the peak value 12 hrs after CPB and reduced to normal level 48 hrs post-operation in the control group, with the value significantly higher than that in the Ginaton group at all the corresponding time points (P < 0.05, or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPerfusion with Ginaton during CPB could significantly decrease the release of MIMs and improve post-CPB cardiac function recovery, exerting favorable myocardium-protective effects.

Biomarkers ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Creatine Kinase, BB Form ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Isoenzymes ; blood ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Troponin T ; blood