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

Yang Guo; Yong Ma; Ya-Lan Pan; Su-Yang Zheng; Jian-Wei Wang; Gui-Cheng Huang

doi:10.4103/1673-5374.215264

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

Neural Regen Res. 2017 Sep;12(9):1519-1528. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.215264.

Authors

Yang Guo¹, Yong Ma^{1

2}, Ya-Lan Pan¹, Su-Yang Zheng¹, Jian-Wei Wang³, Gui-Cheng Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ 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.
² Department of Traumatology & Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
³ Department of Traumatology & Orthopedics, Wuxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China.

Abstract

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 prednisolone 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-dose Jisuikang group compared with the other groups at 3-7 days post-injury. The rats in the moderate-dose Jisuikang group recovered best at 14 days post-injury. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission 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-dose Jisuikang 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. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that expression of BDNF and NGF mRNA was induced in injured segments by prednisolone and Jisuikang. At 3-7 days after injury, the effect of prednisolone was greater, while 14 days after injury, the effect of moderate-dose Jisuikang was greater. These results confirm that Jisuikang 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.

Keywords: Chinese medicine; Jisuikang; axon regeneration; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; microenvironment; nerve growth factor; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neuronal apoptosis; prednisolone; secondary changes; spinal cord injury.