Neuroprotective Effects of Kangen-karyu on Spatial Memory Impairment in an 8-Arm Radial Maze and Neuronal Death in the Hippocampal CA1 Region Induced by Repeated Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

• Main Authors: Fengling Pu (Author), Kyoko Motohashi (Author), Tomohiro Kaneko (Author), Yurika Tanaka (Author), Naomi Manome (Author), Keiichi Irie (Author), Jirou Takata (Author), Nobuaki Egashira (Author), Ryozo Oishi (Author), Takuya Okamoto (Author), Yasuo Sei (Author), Takako Yokozawa (Author), Kenichi Mishima (Author), Katsunori Iwasaki (Author), Michihiro Fujiwara (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of Kangen-karyu (KGK) in a repeated cerebral ischemia model (2 × 10 min, 1-h interval). A 21-day pre- and postischemic treatment with KGK (10 - 300 mg/kg) and aspirin (5 mg/kg) improved the spatial memory impairment and neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1 region induced by repeated cerebral ischemia. However, a 7-day post-ischemic treatment with KGK did not attenuate the spatial memory impairment and neuronal death in this model. To determine the mechanism of action of KGK, we investigated the effects of a 14-day pre-ischemic treatment with KGK on cerebral blood flow in the hippocampal area of the repeated cerebral ischemia model using laser Doppler flowmetry. The 14-day pre-ischemic treatment with KGK increased the cerebral blood flow during reperfusion. These results suggest that a 21-day pre- and post-ischemic treatment with KGK can protect against brain damage caused by cerebral ischemia by increasing the cerebral blood flow in the hippocampal area. Keywords:: Kangen-karyu, repeated cerebral ischemia, cerebral blood flow, neuronal death

Item Description

1347-8613
10.1254/jphs.08245FP