Herbal decoction of Gastrodia, Uncaria, and Curcuma confers neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia in vitro and in vivo

"Tianma" ( Gastrodia ) and "gouteng" ( Uncaria ) are both widely used to treat cerebral ischemia. At the same time, "ezhu" ( Curcuma longa ) or turmeric, is derived from the dried roots of C. longa . It is a polyphenol known for its anti-inflammatory effects and its promotion of blood vessel endothelial function. This study explored the neuroprotective effects of a water extract of "tianma", "gouteng", and "ezhu" against ischemic injury. Flow cytometry analysis showed tha Gastrodia , Uncaria , and Curcuma reduced the proportion of apoptotic cells in CoCl 2 induced B35 ( P = 0.0027) and SH-SY5Y ( P = 0.0006) cell sample relative to the respective control group. Western blot indicated tha Gastrodia , Uncaria , and Curcuma upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and inversely downregulated Bax and Caspase-3 ( P < 0.001). The infarct volume observed in the Gastrodia , Uncaria , and Curcuma group was also decreased compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence detection revealed a lower expression of Caspase-7 in the Gastrodia , Uncaria , and Curcuma group than in the control group, while expression was negligible in the sham group. Gastrodia , Uncaria , and Curcuma confer neuroprotective effects in CoCl 2 induced B35/SH-SY5Y cells and a rat model of ischemia by way of its anti-apoptotic effects.