Jisuikang, a Chinese herbal formula, increases neurotrophic factor expression and promotes the recovery of neurological function after spinal cord injur y

• Published in: 中国神经再生研究（英文版） Vol. 12; no. 9; pp. 1519 - 1528
• Main Authors: Yang Guo, Yong Ma, Ya-lan Pan, Su-yang Zheng, Jian-wei Wang, Gui-cheng Huang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Traumatology & Orthopedics and Laboratory of New Techniques of Restoration & Reconstruction of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China%Institute of Traumatology & Orthopedics and Laboratory of New Techniques of Restoration & Reconstruction of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China 2017; Department of Traumatology & Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China%Department of Traumatology & Orthopedics, Wuxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
• Subjects: spinal cord injury; microenvironment; secondary changes; Chinese medicine; prednisolone; neural regeneration; nerve growth factor; Jisuikang; axon regeneration; nerve regeneration; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; neuronal apoptosis
• ISSN: 1673-5374
• DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.215264

The Chinese medicine compound, Jisuikang, can promote recovery of neurological function by inhibiting lipid peroxidation, scavenging oxygen free radicals, and effectively improving the local microenvironment after spinal cord injury. However, the mechanism remains unclear. Thus, we established a rat model of acute spinal cord injury using a modified version of Allen's method.Jisuikang (50, 25, and 12.5 g/kg/d) and prednis-olone were administered 30 minutes after anesthesia. Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor scale scores and the oblique board test showed improved motor function recovery in the prednisone group and moderate-doseJisuikang group compared with the other groups at 3–7 days post-injury. The rats in the moderate-doseJisuikang group recovered best at 14 days post-injury. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmis-sion electron microscopy showed that the survival rate of neurons in treatment groups increased after 3–7 days of administration. Further, the structure of neurons and glial cells was more distinct, especially in prednisolone and moderate-doseJisuikang groups. Western blot assay and immunohistochemistry showed that expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in injured segments was maintained at a high level after 7–14 days of treatment. In contrast, expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) was down-regulated at 7 days after spinal cord injury. Re-al-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that expression of BDNF and NGF mRNA was induced in injured segments by prednisolone andJisuikang. At 3–7 days after injury, the effect of prednisolone was greater, while 14 days after injury, the effect of moder-ate-doseJisuikang was greater. These results confirm thatJisuikang can upregulate BDNF and NGF expression for a prolonged period after spinal cord injury and promote repair of acute spinal cord injury, with its effect being similar to prednisolone.