Abstract:

Objective: To study the effect of polysaccharide extracted from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz on brain edema after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion in aged rats. Methods: Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in anesthetized rats using a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Eighty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham group, reperfusion group, distilled water group and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide group. Then three subgroups of rats were obtained at 1 h of MCAO with different time intervals (24, 72 and 120 h) of reperfusion. The contents of water and malondialdehyde (MDA) and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were detected in the ischemic brain tissues. Results: The contents of water and MDA in reperfusion group, distilled water group and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide group both were significantly higher than those in sham group at different time intervals of reperfusion (P < 0.01) and these items in Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide group were significantly lower than those in reperfusion group and distilled water group (P < 0.01). The SOD activity in reperfusion group, distilled water group and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide group was significantly lower than that in sham group (P < 0.01) and the SOD activity in Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide group was significantly higher than that in reperfusion group and distilled water group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide is able to markedly increase SOD activity, decrease MDA and alleviate brain edema in the ischemic areas.

Key words: polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, brain ischemia, reperfusion, brain edema, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde