Open AccessProtective Effects of Kamikihi-To, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, against Cerebral Ischemia, Hypoxia and Anoxia in Mice and Gerbils
Author(s) -
Koji Nishizawa,
Osamu Ito,
Yuji Saito,
Akira Suzuki
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
japanese journal of pharmacology/japanese journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1347-3506
pISSN - 0021-5198
DOI - 10.1254/jjp.64.171
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoxia (environmental) , gerbil , pharmacology , ischemia , cerebral anoxia , anesthesia , chemistry , oxygen , organic chemistry
The protective effects of Kamikihi-To (KMK), a traditional Chinese medicine, against cerebral ischemia, hypoxia and anoxia were investigated with various experimental models in mice and gerbils. KMK (2.0 g/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days) significantly prolonged the survival time of mice subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. KMK (0.5 and 2.0 g/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days) also prolonged the survival time of mice injected with N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA: 80 mg/kg, i.v.). Furthermore, KMK (in a diet containing 8% KMK given orally for 34 days) showed protective effects against delayed neuronal death in CA1 pyramidal cells in the gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia. On the other hand, we failed to show any protective effects of KMK (0.5-2.0 g/kg/day, p.o. for 5 days) against normobaric hypoxia and KCN-induced cytotoxic anoxia in mice. These results suggest that KMK may have protective effects against cerebral ischemic disorders, but not against severe hypoxic and anoxic disorders.