Effects of buyang huanwu decoction on changes of oxygen free radical and cell ultrastructure in rats with experimental brain edema]

Effects of Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) on the change of oxygen free radical and cell ultrastructure were observed in rats with acute brain edema induced by pertussis vaccine (PV). The results showed that BYHWD could decrease significantly the contents of brain tissue protein and malondialdehyde, and raise the declining of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Also, BYHWD could reduce markedly the transport of pinosome in the left cerebral capillary endothelial cell, and lessen slightly the swelling of cerebral perivascular astrocyte processes and mitochondria in neuron. There was no significant reduction of water content in the left hemisphere on intravenous administration of BYHWD before and after injecting PV; while that in the right hemisphere, it was less remarkable in BYHWD group than that in control (P < 0.05). Hence, it suggests that BYHWD had the evident effects in antagonizing the damage of blood brain barrier and encephalic cell caused by free radical in brain edema.