BACKGROUND: Inhibiting the expression of Nogo-A in cervical spinal cord by use of interaction of antigen and antibody can help the remodeling of corticospinal projection of focal cerebral ischemia model rats to facilitate neurological recovery,which provides a new possible mechanism for drugs to promote neurological recovery. However,the effects of drugs on the expression of Nogo-A in cervical spinal cord are still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Fujian tablet on the expression of Nogo-A mRNA in cervical spinal cords of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats,and to investigate the possible regulatory effect of Fujian tablet on the regenerated microenvironment of spinal conduction bundle. DESIGN: A randomized and controlled trial taking Wistar rats as experimental animals. SETTING: Department of Neurology,Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out in the laboratory of Shandong Academy of Medical Science between June 2005 and July 2006. A total of 40 healthy male Wistar rats,aged 12 weeks,weighing 250– 300 g,were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Shandong University. Fujian tablets (main components: Heshouwu,Yinyanghuo,etc) were provided by office of Pharmaceutics of Shandong University of traditional Chinese medicine. Nogo-A detection kit was provided by Wuhan Boster Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.,and batch number was 040309009. This experiment was approved by Local Animal Ethics Committee. METHODS: Forty male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,with 10 in each: normal group,sham-operation group,model group and administration group. Rats in the administration group and model group were subjected to MCAO. Rats in the sham-operation group underwent the same craniotomy,and their middle cerebral arteries (MCA) were not occluded. Rats in the normal group were untouched. Rats in administration group were intragastrically administrated with the solution of Fujian tablet at a dose of 9 g/kg and others were given equal dosage of normal saline two days later. The treatments were done once a day and the course totaled 2 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The expression of Nogo-A mRNA in slices of cervical spinal cords. RESULTS: Forty rats were involved in the final analysis. The expression of Nogo-A mRNA in the cervical spinal cord of rats in the administration group and model group was significantly decreased as compared with that in the normal group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05,respectively). The expression of Nogo-A mRNA in the administration group was also significantly weaker than that in the model group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Fujian tablet can inhibit the expression of Nogo-A mRNA in cervical spinal cords of MCAO rats,which facilitates regeneration and remodeling of cervical spinal cords.
