Contents

Contents
Abstract
Foreword
References
Part ¢ñ
A Methodological approach to Sero-pharmacoogy of Chinese Drugs and the Protective Effect of Naolizhibzo on Inschemic/Anoxic injury of PC 12 Cells
Abstract
Materials and Methods
Animals
Reagents and Instruments
Methods
1. Preparation of Extract of Naolizhibao
2. Preparation of Medicated Serum
3.Effect of Different Frequencies of Administration, Different Blood-collecting Time and Different Concentrations of Medicated Serum on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells
4.Effect of Naolizhibao on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells
5.Effect of Naolizhibao on Anoxic Injury of PC12 Cells Caused by Sodium Dithionite
Results
Effect of Different Concentrations of Medicated Serum on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells
Effect of Medicated Serum Obtained After Different Frequencies of Administration and Different Blood-collecting Time on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells
Effect of Naolizhibao on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells
Effect of Naolizhibao on Anoxic Injury of PC12 Cells Caused by Sodium Dithionite
Discussion
References

Part ¢ò
Protection of Naolizhibao on Primary Cultured Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cell Injury of Rats Caused by Excitatory Amino Acids and NO
Abstract
Materials and Methods
Animal
Drugs and Reagents
Instruments
Methods
1. Primary Culture of Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cells of Rat
2.Glu-induced Nerve Cell Injury
3.SNP-induced Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cell Injury of Rat
4.MTT Determination of Cell Survival Rate
5.Determination of Calcium in Brain Nerve Cells of Newborn Rats
6.Determination of Cell Membrane Fluidity
Results
Morphological Observations
Cell Survival Rate
Determination of LDH
Effect of Naolizhibao on Glu-induced NO and NOS Activities of Primary Cultured Cerebral Cortical Cells of Rats
Effect of Naolizhibao on Glu-induced Calcium Elevation in Nerve Cells
Effect of Naolizhibao on Glu-induced Nerve Cell Membrane Fluidity
Discussion
References

Part ¢ó
Effect of Naolizhibao on Simulated Aging Reaction of Primary Cultured Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cells of Rats Induced by D-galactose and by Serum-free Medium
Abstract
Materials and Methods
Culture of Primary Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cells of Rat
D-galactose-induced Simulated Aging Reaction
Serum-free Culture-induced Simulated Aging Reaction of Primary Cultured Nerve Cells
MTT Microdetermination of Cell Survival Rate
Results
Effect of Naolizhibao on D-galactose-induced Simulated Aging Reaction of Nerve Cells
Effect of Naolizhibao on Serum-free Culture-induced Simulated Aging Reaction of Nerve Cells
Discussion
References
Part ¢ô
A Preliminary Approach to the Neurotroophism of Naolizhibao
Abstract
Materials and Methods
Cultured of PC12 Cells and Plotting of Growth Curve
Observation of Axonal Growth of PC12 Cells and MTT Determination of Living Cell Count
Culture of Primary Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cells of Rat
Effect of Naolizhibao on Growth and Development of Cortical Nerve Cells
Results
Effect of Naolizhibao on Growth of PC12 Cells
Effect of Naolizhibao on Axonal Growth of PC12 Cells and on Cell Survival Rate
Effect of Naolizhibao on Growth and Development of Primary Cultured Cerebral Cortical Nerve Cells of Rat
Discussion
References

Part ¢õ
Effect of Naolizhibao on PC12 Cell Apoptosis Induced by Sodium Nitroprusside
Abstract
Materials and Methods
Drugs and Reagents
Instruments
Methods
1.Preparation of the Extract and Medicated Serum of Naolizhibao
2.Effect of Different Concentrations of sodium Nitroprusside on PC12 Cell Survival Rate
3.Determination of DNA Breaking Rate by Diphenyl-amine
4.Determination of Cell Survival Rate
5.Nuclear Morphological Observation in the Presence of PC12 Cell Apoptosis
6.Extract of DNA and Electrophoresis
7.Quantitative Analysis of Cell Apoptosis Peak using Flowing Cell Apparatus
8.Immunohistochemical Detection of Bc1-2
9.Detection of Membrane Fluidity
Results
Establishment of Models
MTT Microdetermination of Cell Survival Rate
Morphological Observations
Gel Electrophoretic Analysis of DNA Breaking
Quantitative Analysis of Cell Apoptosis Peak Using Flowing Cell Apparatus
Effect of Naolizhibao on SNP-induced bc1-2 Protein Expression in PC12 Cells
Analysis of Membrane Fluidity
Discussion
References

Part ¢ö
Effect of Naolizhibao on Improvement of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent and the Study of Its Mechanism of Action
Abstract
Materials and Methods
Animals
Drugs and Reagents
Instruments
Methods
1.Preparation of Extract of Naolizhibao
2.Manufacture of Model
3.Learning and Memory Test
4.Determination of Biochemical Criteria of Blood, Tissues and Organs of Mice
5.Histopathological Examination
6.Ultrastructural Observation
Results
Changes in Body Weight and Brain Weight
Effect of Naolizhibao on Learning and Memory of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent Mice
Effect of Naolizhibao on SOD and MDA Level's in the Brain, Liver and Serum of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent Mice
Effect of Naolizhibao on level of NO and NOS Activity in the Brain of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent Mice
Effect of Naolizhibao on Activity of ATP Enzyme in the Brain and Liver of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent Mice
Effect of Naolizhibao on Level of Lipofuscin in Brain Tissue and Level of Oxyproline Hydroxyproline in Skin of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent Mice
Effect of Naolizhibao on Protein Content of D-galactose-induced Subacute Senescent Mice
Histopathological Observation
Ultrastructural Observation
Discussion
References

Foreword
With the progress of human society and the rise of people's living standards year by year, the age structural ratio of human society is becoming favourable to old people. In the year of 2000, the total population of China will amount to 13 hundred millions and the people 60 years old and over will amount to 10%. According to statistics China has entered into senile society at a speed of 15 months ahead of time. With the aging of structure and function of nervous system of old people, the number of patients with senile dementia increases day by day, and it is estimated that there are at least three or four million patients senile dementia in China. So numerous dementia patients not only cause the patients themselves and their families to have utmost pain but also bring about a heavy pressure to the society and directly lower the population quality of China. Therefore, the study of brain aging and of the pathogenesis of senile dementia will necessarily promote the development of geriatrics and provide a firm theoretical basis for the prophylaxis and treatment of senile diseases.
Senile dementia is chiefly divided into two types: one is multiple infarctional dementia (or vascular dementia VD) caused by cerebrovascular disease, VD is due chiefly to multiple cerebral infarction, lacunar infarction, solitary infarction in associated cerebral zone and cerebral hemorrhage; the other is senile dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is a progressive retrograde nervous disease with unknown cause and characterized by clinical manifestations and pathological changes, the pathologic features include loss of neurons, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), senile plaques (SP) or neurite plaques (NP) and amyloid angiopathy (AAP). So far studies on senile dementia have not revealed a clear pathogenesis. The overall attenuation of the function and structure of cholinergic nervous system such as loss of cholinergic neurons and the reduced density of M and N receptors is generally believed to be an important cause of senile dementia. Recent studies have shown that calcium overload in nerve cells, nitric oxide (NO), cell apoptosis and oxygen free radicals are closely related to senile dementia, there exist mutual link and mutual causality between them.
Glutamate (Glu), and important excitatory amino acid with the highest content in central nervous system, plays and important role in maintaining the process of transmission of normal neuronal signals. The velease of large amount of Glu has marked injury action on nerve cells, chronic neuronal retrograde diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease) and the pathological changes in the presence of cerebral ischemia are all related to the neurotoxic action of Glu. NO, a new-type messenger molecule, mediates neurotoxicity of Glu as well as transmits of Glu with NMDA receptor causes large opening of passage of calcium and the inward flow of Ca2+ in large quantity further activates Ca2+ -dependent calcium regulating protein; NOS synthesizes excessive NO by means of Glu-NMDA-[ Ca2+]-NOS-NO route. Recent studies, however, revealed that NO can affect the synthesis and release of Glu by means of regulating cGMP formation, that is, it causes cell injury by way of NO-cGMP-Glu-[Ca2+ ]: (1). Therefore, there exist mutual promotion and mutual causality between Glu and NO. NO is closely related to senile dementia, NOS inhibitor has protective effect on toxicity of human ¦Â-amyloid fragment (2). Kopa et al (3) reported that the expression of iNOS in patients wit HIV and dementia showed marked increase. NO can cause overload of Ca2+ in nerve cells and one of the features of brain aging is Ca2+ overload in nerve cells, which is the "final common pathway" of causing nerve cell injury and resulting in cell death. Besides, NO itself is a free radical, it can provoke peroxidation of membranous lipid; the reaction of NO and O2 produces OH£­ and NO2 free radicals which have greater toxicity; and the reaction of NO and iron-sulfur center of enzyme or hydrosulfide group of peptide can cause functional loss of enzyme or polypetptide. Therefore, peroxidation of NO itself may have greater direct cytotoxicity.
The oxygen metabolism in brain tissue is luxuriant, the cell membrane of neuron contains large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid, in the course of senility, the substance and energy metabolism in brain tissue leads to production of large amount of free radicals; therefore, there exists great hazardness that the central nervous system is injured by free radicals. Autopsies of AD patients found increased formation of free radicals in brain tissue, severe peroxidation of lipids and injured mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA. In experiments in vitro, it was also found that¦Âamyloid induced cultured nerve cells to form hydrogen peroxide, thus causing cell damage and that anti-oxidant and redical scavenge protected the nerve cells from toxicity of¦Âamyloid (4). Free radical theory about senility holds that with the increase of age, the reduced metabolism of organism, functional attenuation of radical scavenge system and increased production of free radicals bring about structural and functional damage of cells and marked toxic action of free radicals on nerve cells causes nerve cells to develop lipofuscin sedimentation, increased senile plaques, vacuolar degeneration and disturbance of energy metabolism with the result that the neuronal structure is damaged and the number of neurons decreases, being similar to the pathology of senile dementia. Therefore, great attention has been paid to free radical theory about senile dementia.
Recent studies have shown that there exists an additional mode of death different from cytonecrosis in addition to cytonecrosis in the process of death of neurons, that is, under the induction of some physiological or pathological factors membrane signal system is activated and genes associated with cell apoptosis or programmed death are further initiated and controlled with the final result that cells undergo self-destruction and self-death according to certain programme control, namely cell apoptosis, the biochemical mechanism of which is related to intracellular increase of calcium and free radicals. More and more evidence shows that some retrograde nervous diseases such as senile dementia are due to pathological apoptosis developed in central nervous system (5). Apoptosis is also related to the pathological process of central nerve injury in cerebral ischemia and brain injury. Nerve cell apoptosis is the principal cause of evoking loss of nerve cells. The relation of NO to apoptosis is the forward field of present biological study of NO, results of the study show that apoptosis is the mode of death of NO-dependent cells. It has been demonstrated experimentally that in primary cultured rat nerve cells SNP could simulate NMDA and cause apoptosis or death of dose-and time-dependent cells (6). Cell apoptosis is a complex course of high-precise regulation and involves expression and regulation of many genes, for example, bc1-2 gene is the suppressor gene of apoptosis. Bc1-2 is a longevous gene, its product does not change cell multiplication rate but resists cell death of various forms, prolongs cell longevity and increases the number of cells. Excessive expression of bc1-2 gene by artificial means can also prolong the survival of nerve cells. Carcia et at (7,8) gave microinjection of plasmids which express bc1-2 gene to in vitro cultured sympathetic neurons which depends on growth factor and found that apoptosis induced by removal of nerve growth factor could be prevented. The anti-apoptosis effect of bc1-2 gene may be related to inhibiting the production of intracellular activated oxygen and intracellular Ca 2+ (9,10) Bc 1-2 gene was shown to have the effect of promoting nerve regeneration in mammals in addition to the effect of anti-apoptosis, loss of the effect of bc1-2 led to lack of axonal gwowth; and the promotion of axonal growth by bc1-2 was found to be independent on its anti-apoptosis effect, bc1-2 controlling axonal growth of central nervous system as a regulator of gene programme (11). It is worth mentioning that recently Zhang et al (12) advanced the hypothesis that bc1-2 gene may be the associated gene of the kidney essence in terms of traditional Chinese medicine. This not only provides a new route for studying material basis of the kidney in traditional Chinese medicine but also provides the possibility for using modern medical theories to make a further development of traditional Chinese medicine. If bc1-2 is the associated gene of the kidney essence, remedies which interfere with bc1-2 gene will necessarily affect the renal function in terms of traditional Chinese medicine, many remedies are currently found to affect bc1-2 gene and these remedies are possibly used as clinical medicines to regulate the renal function in terms of traditional Chinese medicine. The senility theory in traditional Chinese medicine is based on the theory of reduced renal function. In traditional Chinese medicine deficiency of the kidney is believed to be the principal cause. As stated in¡¶Orthodox Medical Problems¡·(written by Yu Tuan): "With excess of the kidney qi, one can promise longervity; with deficiency of the kidney qi, longevity cannot be promised." Old people are in the state of "physiological deficiency of the kidney qi." The kidney essence in terms of traditional Chinese medicine are the foundation of senility theory of traditional Chinese medicine. If the hypothesis is tenable, it will open a new way for the study and development of remedies for treating senile dementia.
Nervous system plays a leading role in adapting organism to internal and external environments and, therefore, has an important influence on the process of senility of organism. Among the various systems of the organism, the central nervous system is the one with the most stability and the longest survival time. Because all neurons undergo the process of cell division, has high specificity and no longer has further division, their survival time is identical with the lifetime of the entire organism. In the course of senility, the changes of central nervous system in structure, function and biochemistry can lead to significant changes in activities of other systems and organs in the body. There are notable structural changes in human brain tissue in the course of senility, for example, the weight of brain reduces by 7%-10% in geratic period (70-80 years of age), the number of neurons in cerebral cortex of old people (77 years of age) is, on the average, 20%-25% less than that of young people (9-28 years of age) (14). Substances are the basis of functions, senile dementia is the dysfunction in learning and memory caused by degenerative death of neurons due to multiple causes. Some Chinese drugs have been shown to improve directly the morphology of brain tissue of animals with simulated dementia, thus improving the brain function. Yang Ying et al (15), using quantitative synapse determination, found that long-term administration of ginsenoside significantly increased the number of synapse in the upper layer of pyramidal cells in zone CA3 of rat hippocampus. Recent studies showed that senile dementia is related to lack of nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF can effectively prevent degenerative death of neurons, and it has been known that NGF, as the nutrient and growth-promoting factor of neurons, takes effect by means of activating receptor. Some traditional Chinese medicines with the action of postponing senility such as epimedium, fleece-flower root, bighead atractylodes rhizome, dodder seed, astragalus root and poria have been shown to have marked activation on I-NGF. Among these Chinese drugs the crude extract of cynomorium has the strongest action. This suggests that the above-mentioned Chinese drugs may possibly have excitant of NGF receptor (16). The failure of such neuontrophic factors as NGF to pass blood-brain barrier lead to difficulty in their use. Therefore, it is of important theoretical and practical significance to seek from Chinese drugs materia medica which themselves or receptor excitants of which have trophism on nerve cells.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a bright pearl in the world, it has various kinds of materia medica with wide used and has a history of several thousand years. It demonstrates clear superiority in preventing and curing gerontal and chronic diseases. Particularly the more understanding of the toxic or side effect observed in taking Western medicines spurs many people on to adopt natural medicines and this provides favourable circumstances and challenges nerve existed before for bringing the superiority of traditional Chinese medicine into full play. It is and urgent and heavy task to utilize modern scientific and technological means and to make traditional Chinese medicine move towards modernization and internationalization. How to study the mechanism of action of Chinese drugs and their complex prescription at cellular, molecular and genic levels is the cause and basis of development of sero-pharmacological method for Chinese drugs, its occurrence provides a method of using modern techniques and methods to study traditional Chinese medicines.
Sero-pharmacological method for Chinese drugs originated in 1987. In Japan, Iwama et al (17) published a report of using medicated serum of animal to study Chinese drugs, the method was named "Sero-pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicines." It refers to an experimental method by which blood is collected from animals after their orally taking medicine for a given time, serum is separated from the blood and then the medicated serum is used to make in vitro experiment. Previously crude extract of Chinese drugs and their complex prescription was directly added to reaction system (such as cell culture, etc.) for making in vitro experiment. However, the crude extract of Chinese drugs does not represent the available compositions which are truly effective in internal environment, and, what is more, the physicochemical properties of Chinese drugs per se (such as electrolyte, acie-base scale, etc.) and impurities with exert a certain influence on cells, thus interfering with experimental results and affecting the truthfulness and reliability of experimental conclusions. The use of sero-pharmacological method for studying Chinese drugs can, to some extent, overcome the interference of experimental results by such factors as physicochemical properties of the Chinese drugs themselves, it not only reflects the direct effect of absorbable compositions of drugs but also reflects the indirect results of metabolites formed in the organism and endogenous substances in the organism induced by the drugs.
Naolizhibao is a complex prescription consists mainly of tortoise plastron, wolfberry fruit, earthworm, grassleaved sweetflag rhizome, bitter cardamon, Chinese angelica root, polygala root, safflower, spiny jujuba seed, curcuma root, schisandra fruit and fleece-flower root, has the effect of tonifying the kidney to replenish marrow, promoting qi circulation and activating the collaterals, promoting generation of blood and strengthening the bone, and promoting blood circulation by removing blood stasis, and is thus a prescription of treating both the principal and the secondary aspects of a disease, its symptoms and cause at the same time and strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors. Clinically it is used to treat mental retardation in children, senile dementia, etc. with satisfactory results. Studies made by Wu Yonjie (18) showed that Naolizhibao improved microcirculation of human brain, improved energy metabolism of the brain, promoted development of the brain, raised RNA level in the brain, promoted protein synthesis in the brain, and enhanced dopaminergic neurons. It has been used clinically for years, but its mechanism of action has not yet been studied. It has been known that the bitter cardamon in the prescription of Naolizhibao contains cardamonol which has the effect of antagonizing calcium; ferulic acid contained in Chinese angelica root and fleece-flower root and Siberian solomonseal rhizome can all reduce the content of lipofuscin, enhance SOD activity in the body and the activity of Na +£­K+£­ATP enzyme and has the effect of resisting free radicals; carthamin and neocarthamin contained in safflower have the effect of antithrombosis and are used clinically to treat ischemic cerebrovascular disease, cerebral apoplexy and cerebral arteriosclerosis; fleece-flower root also has the effect of exciting NGF receptor; and grassleaved sweetflay rhizome can increase learning capacity and memory and is used clincally to treat dementia. (19)
Therefore, experimental studies on the protective action of Naolizhibao on the brain, its therapeutic action on senile dementia and its mechanism of action have been carried out according to the etiological and pathological theories about senile dementia mentioned above and by means of sero-pharmacological method for Chinese drugs from the following aspects: a methodological approach to sero-pharmacology of Chinese drugs and the protective effect of Naolizhibao on nerve cell injury; studies on the influences of Naolizhibao on simulated-aging reaction of nerve cells and its in vitro anti-senility action; and a preliminary approach to the neurotrophism of Naolizhibao and studies on its anti-apoptosis.
References
1.Wang Jing hua, Yang Guizheng. The effect of NO-cGMP-Glu-[Ca2+]; route on the learning disorder of rats wit injured septal hippocampal pathway. Chin J Neuroimmu-nol & Neurol, 1997; 4 (4): 212-215.
2.Thomas T, Toma G, Mcleendoom C,et al. ¦Â-amyloid-mediated vasoactivity and vascular endothelial damage. Nature, 1996: 381(6571) : 168
3.Kopa P, He KY Zack JA.et al. Human immunodeficiency virus envelope protein induced interleukin tumor factor alpha and nitric oxide in glial cultures derived from fetal neonatal and adult human brain. J Exp Med, 1995: 182 (4): 941-951
4.Daniel P, Parka TA., Town T.et al. Role of peroxynitrie in the vasoactive and cytotoxic effects of Alzheimer's ¦Â-amyliod 1-40 peptide. Exp Neurol, 1998: 152: 116-122
5.Bains JS, Shaw CA. Neurodegeneration disorders in humans the role of glutathione in oxidative stress mediated neuronal death. Brain Res Rev, 1997: 25 (3): 335-358
6.Stangel M, Zettle UK, Mix Ezielask J.et al. H2O2 and nitric oxide mediated oxidative stress induced apoptosis in rat skeletal muscle myoblasts. J Neuropathol Exp Neural, 1996: 55 (1): 36-43
7.Garcia I, Martinou I, Tsujimoto Y.et al. Prevention of programmed cell death of sympatetic neurons by the bc1-2 protonocogene. Science, 1992: 258: 302-304
8.Farlie PG, Dringen R, Rees SM, et al. Bc1-2 transgene expression can protect neurons againist developmental and induced cell death. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 1995: 92: 4397-4401
9.Kane DJ, Saraflan TA, Antanoa R.et al. Bc1-2 inhibition of neurol death: decreased generation or reactive oxygen species. Science, 1993: 262: 1274
10. Distelhorst CW, Larn M, Mccormick TS. Bc1-2 inhibits hydrogen peroxide-induced ER Ca2+ pool deletion. Oncogene, 1996: 12 (10): 205
11. Chen DF, Schneider GE, Martinou JC, et al. Bc1-2 promotes regeneration of severed axons in mammalian CNS. Nature, 1997: 385/30:434-439
12. Zhang Denghai, Ling Changquan, Liu Ying, et al. An approach to the relationship between modern cell biology ad theories of traditional Chinese medicine£­Bc1-2 family and the kidney essence in terms of traditional Chinese medicine. J Cell Biol, 1999; 21(3): 125-128
13. Shen Ziyin. Studies on deficiency of the kidney and senility. J Traditional Chin Med, 1987; 28 (10): 57
14. Xue Qiming, Wu Zhongxuan. Biochemistry of the brain in geratic period and in senile dementia. Chin J Gerontol, 1983; 2 (2): 118-123
15. Yang Ying, Zhang Juntian, Shi Chengzhang, et al. An approach to the mechanism of intelligence-promoting action of ginsenosides Rbl Rgl£­influence on brain nerve development of mice. J Pharmacy, 1994; 29 (4): 241
16.Zhang Liming, Li Zhiming, Han Baoming. Screening of Chinese herbal medicines and their constituents with receptor activity of nerve growth factor. Chin Herba Med, 1994; 25 (2): 79-81, 105
17.Iwawa H, Amagara S, Ogihara Y.et al. Effect of Shosaikoto, a Japanese and Chinese traditional herbal medicinal mixture on the mitogenic activity of lipopoly-saccharide: A new pharmacological testing method. J Ethnopharmacology, 1987: 21:45
18. Wu Yongjie. The principal pharmacodynamic experimental data of Naolizhibao and references cited. J Modrn Encephalopathic Med, 1997; special issue: 34-39
19. Wang Benxiang (ed.). Modern Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Tianjin: Tianjin Scientific and Technological Publishing House. 1997. 1 st ed


Part ¢ñ
A Methodological Approach to Sero-pharmacology of Chinese Drugs and the Protective Effect of Naolizhibao on Ischemic/Anoxic Injury of PC12 Cells

[Abstract] Objective The present study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect of the extract and medicated serum of Naolizhibao on ischemic/Anoxic Injury of PC12 cells and to make an approach to some methodological problems of sero-pharmacology. Methods By using sero-pharmacological method and PC 12 cell culture in vitro, the effect of Naolizhibao on ischemic/anoxic injury of PC12 cells caused by NaCN and sodium dithionite plus sugar deprivation was studied, and an approach was made to different frequencies of administration in preparationof medicated serum, different blood-collecting time and different added amount of medicated serum by using model of ischemic injury of PC12 cells caused by NaCN plus sugar deprivation. Results The results showed that Naolizibao obviously resisted morphological changes of PC12 cells due to ischemia/anoxia, reduced leakage of LDH and increased cell survival rate and that medicated serum collected at 0.5 h, 1h, 2h and 3h after a single administration did not have protection on cells, that collected at 1 h and 2 h after two times of administation at an interval of 2 h showed marked protection and that collected at different time points after administration twice daily for three successive days (7 times of administration ) all had obvious protection on cells. Better results were obtained with 5% of added amount of serum, drug action was affected with larger than 10% of added amount of serum.
Key works: Naolizhibao Sero-pharmacological method PC12 cell Sodium dithionite Sodium cyanide Ischemia Anoxia

Vascular dementia, caused by such pathologic processes as cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage, occupies an important place in senile dementia. As shown in literature, about 12%-20% of patients with senile dementia are those suffering from multiple infarctional dementia, and those with concurrent Alzheimer's disease account for 16%-20% of the patients. (1,2) The high dependence on oxygenic metabolism for energy supply and the high oxygen demand of nerve cells determine the high liability of nerve cells to ischemic/anoxic injury. Cerebral ischmia/anoxia can result in functional and structural destruction of brain nerve cells, thus causing the development of various diseases that affect the functioning of the brain. It is, therefore, of important significance in the prevention of senile dementia to prevent cerebral ischemic/anoxic injury. The model of ischemic/anoxic injury of nerve cells and PC12 cells caused by NaCN plus sugar deprivation and sodium dithionite plus sugar deprivation is the usual model of screening drugs with protection on neuronal injury (3,4,5,6) and is suitable for studying the protection of drugs on ischemic/anoxic injury. Therefore, in the present study sero-pharmacological method for Chinese drugs and model of ischemic/anoxic injury of PC12 cells caused by NaCN plus sugar deprivation and sodium dithionite plus sugar deprivation were used to study the protective effect of the extract and medicated serum of Naolizhibao on ischemic/injury of PC12 cells, and an approach was made to the frequencies of administration of Naolizhibao, time of collecting blood and the amount of serum added to the reaction system.
Results
Effect of Different Concentrations of Medicated Serum on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells The results showed that 2.5% medicated serum of Naolizhibao had protection on ischemic injury of PC12 cells and that 5% medicated serum of Naolizhibao and medicated serum of nimodipine all had notable protection on PC12 cells; whereas the addition of 10% mouse serum or over, whether it was normal serum or medicated serum, all showed marked protection on PC12 cells, false-positive results developed, and this might be due to the complex compositions of serum itself. The results are shown in Table 1-1.
Effect of Medicated Serum Obtained After Different Frequencies of Administration and at Different Time of Collecting Blood on Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells The results showed that medicated serum collected at 0.5 h, 1h, 2h and 3h after a single administration, although it had some protection on cells, did not show significant statistical difference (p>0.05), that collected at 1h and 2h after two times of administration showed marked protection, the difference being significant, and that collected at different time points after seven times of administration all had obvious protection on cells, particularly the medicated serum obtained at 0.5h and 1h following administration (p<0.001). The results are given in Table 1-2.
Effect of Naolizhibao on NaCN-induced Ischemic Injury of PC12 Cells PC12 cells were exposed to Earle's buffer solution containing NaCN without sugar, 20 minutes later they were observed under inverted microscope and were found to have had disappearance of cell process structure, cellular pyknosis, swelling, refractive index, occurrence of cytomembrane breaking in part of cells, and cytolysis into debris. Results of MTT microcolorimetry and LDH determination showed that injured cells had obviously reduced uptake of MTT and that LDH was released in large amount, indicating that the cells were injured or part of the cells had been dead. Administration of the extract and medicated serum of Naolizhibao significantly reduced the disappearance of cell process structure and cell debris and increased MTT uptake as compared with the drug-free group. The inhibition rates of extract of Naolizhibao in the concentrations of 0.04mg/ml, 0.16mg/ml, 0.63mg/ml and 2.50mg/ml for NaCN-induced PC12 cell injury were 4.7%, 44.2%, 62.8% and 93.0%, respectively, and those of medicated serum of Naolizhibao in the doses of 3g/kg, 6g/kg and 12g/kg for PC12 cell injury were 34.7%, 44.2% and 62.8%, respectively. The leakage of LDH after administration decreased greatly and had better dose-dependence. The inhibition rate of extract of Naolizhibao in the concentration of 2.50mg/ml and that of medicated serum of Naolizhibao in the dose of 12g/kg were 87.9% and 65.1%, respectively. The results are shown in Table 1-3 and 4.
Effect of Naolizhibao on Sodium dithionite-induced PC12 Cell Injury Exposure of PC12 cells to 2mmol/l sodium dithionite resulted in marked imjury, decrease or disappearance of cell process structure was visible under microscope, and the cells became swelling and round. Administration of extract and medicated serum of Naolizhibao obviously resisted cytomorphological changes due to ischemia/anoxia, as manifested by decreased disappearance of cell process structure and decreased cell debris. Treatment of PC12 cells with 2 mmol/l sodium dithionite reduced MTT uptake and the OD values were significantly lower than those of the control group, as manifested by damaged cells or cell death in part of the cells. Extract and medicated serum of Naolizhibao of different administration groups significantly increased MTT uptake by PC12 cells, made the OD values significantly higher than those of the model group, increased the number of living cells obviously, and had better concentration-dependence. However, nimodipine in the concentration of 5¡Á10£­6 mol/l and medicated serum of nimpdipine in the dose of 16 mg/kg did not show marked difference as compared with the model group. 2mmol/l sodium dithionite significantly increased LDH activity in culture fluid. Administration of extract of Naolizhibao and different concentrations of medicated serum significantly inhibited the release of LDH and showed obvious dose-dependence. The results are shown in Table 1-5 and 1-6.
Disscussion