Neuroprotective effects of the Buyang Huanwu decoction on functional recovery in rats following spinal cord injury

Abstract

Background: The Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) is a traditional Chinese herbal prescription and has been used in China to treat spinal cord injury (SCI) for hundreds of years. Clinical trials have shown that BYHWD improves the outcome of SCI in clinical trials, but the mechanisms are not known. This study observed the neuroprotective effects of BYHWD on spinal nerve cells after SCI and investigated possible mechanisms. Materials and methods: Forty female Wistar rats were randomized equally to four groups treated by sham injury, SCI, BYHWD, or methylprednisolone (MP). The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) score was used to evaluate hind-limb locomotor function. Neuron apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining and caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression were evaluated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. Results: In the sham group, walking was mildly abnormal after anesthesia but recovered completely in 2 days. The BBB score in the SCI model group was significantly different from that in the sham group. The BBB scores of rats in both the BYHWD and MP groups were significantly higher than scores of rats in the SCI group. BYHWD had an antiapoptosis effect, as shown by significant decreases in expression of caspase-3 and Bax and increase in Bcl-2 expression. Conclusion: BYHWD treatment restored hind-limb motor function of rats with SCI. The neuroprotective effect of BYHWD was associated with modulation of the expression of apoptosis-related proteins.

Angiogenesis in Ischemic Stroke and Angiogenic Effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine

“…Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) is a 7-herb Chinese herbal formation consisting of Astragalus membranaceus , Angelica sinensis , Paeonia lactiflora , Ligusticum chuanxiong , Prunus persica , Carthamus tinctorius and Lumbricus terrestris . The formulation is widely used for treating ischemic and neurodegenerative diseases [ 105 , 106 ]. Results from pervious clinical studies have shown that BYHWD improved neurological functions in cerebral infraction patients, which has been suggested to be associated with an increased serum VEGF expression [ 107 ].…”

Nanofiber Scaffolds as Drug Delivery Systems to Bridge Spinal Cord Injury

“…In the last two years, many research studies, focusing on the identification of drugs potentially effective in SCI treatment, have been published [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ,…”

Efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu Decoction in patients with spinal cord injury: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Recent experimental studies have shown promising results, indicating BHD's effectiveness in treating SCI, peripheral nerve injury, stroke, facial nerve palsy, cerebral ischemia, and vascular dementia. [7][8][9][10] Through various experimental models, BHD has demonstrated its ability to enhance neurogenesis and neuroprotection via multicompound and multi-signaling pathways. [6][7][8][11][12][13] Additionally, BHD has shown potential in promoting spinal cord repair in animal models, influencing the micro-environment post-SCI in rats, preventing neuronal death and atrophy, promoting axonal regeneration, and facilitating functional recovery of limbs.…”