Recently, we reported the unique effects of cerebral protection of the Chinese herbal medicine-Braintone （a formulation containing Radix Rhodiola, Folium Ginkgo, Radix Notoginseng and Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong）, also known as Remembrance. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that Braintone may extend cardioprotective effects on ischemic myocardium in Wistar rats. Animal model was created by ligating of left descending coronary artery. Mortality rate and infarct volume were assessed. In addition, capillary density, antioxidant enzymes, apoptosis modulators and VEGF, eNOS mRNA expression level were investigated to reveal the underlying mechanisms. Treatment with Braintone reduced mortality rate from 41.7% to 22.2% associate with notable diminished infarct volume （30.4%±9.0% vs 18.0%±3.0%）. Braintone also acted as antioxidant agent for preserving the activities of catalase （13.07±0.48 U vs 9.71±0.44 U in vehicle, P〈0.01）. Furthermore, Braintone dramatically boosted the expression levels of anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl （1.43-, 2.30-fold, P〈0.01） as compared to vehicle group and significantly down-regulated the expression level ofpro-apoptotic gene Bax （0.84-fold, P〈0.01） while slightly inhibited Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 signals. Moreover, higher mRNA expression levels of VEGF and eNOS were observed in Braintone group consisting with a remarkable raise of capillary density （46.0±13.3 vs 27.4±12.6, P〈0.01） in myocardium. The findings indicated that Braintone markedly attenuate myocardial damage induced by ischemic insults in vivo. Braintone may confer cardioprotection via scavenging free radicals, inhibiting cardiomyocytes apoptosis and promoting angiogenesis in ischemic region.
Free radical induced neuronal damage is involved in stroke. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have proved that antioxidant could act as neuroprotective agent through intervening with flee-radical mediated apoptosis in the ischemic penumbra. In particular, natural products which contain antioxidant properties have undoubtedly potential for stroke treatment. In the present study, therapeutic effects of Braintone on Wistar rats undergone middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） was evaluated. Gene expression levels of pro-apoptotic genes （AT2 receptor, FAS, BAX and BCL-XS） were showed to be significantly reduced in Braintone treated groups （0.4-, 0.72-, 0.76-, 0.32-fold, P〈0.05） as compared to vehicle group. Significant reduction ofimmunoreactivity of protein production of these genes, together with least nuclear green fluorescence observed in TUNEL, Braintone as an antioxidant drug, is concluded to have promising therapeutic effect for stroke treatment.
