Neuroprotection and enhanced neurogenesis by tetramethylpyrazine in adult rat brain after focal ischemia

Abstract Objective: To investigate the effects of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on neural cell proliferation and differentiation in brain of rat after focal cerebral ischemia. Methods: The focal cerebral ischemia of rat was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Infarction volume was evaluated by TTC staining method. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify proliferating and differentiating cells. Results: TMP protected brain from damage by reducing volume of infarction, neuronal loss and water content. TMP not only increased the number of BrdU positive cell in SVZ, but also stimulated the cell differentiation after ischemia. The nNOS expression in cortex and dentate gyrus was reduced by treatment of TMP. Conclusion: These results indicate that TMP could protect ischemic brain damage, and promote cell proliferation and differentiation stimulated by ischemia, which might be related to the reduction of nNOS expression after treatment with TMP in rat cerebral ischemia model.

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