Neuroprotection of Sanhua Decoction against Focal Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats through a Mechanism Targeting Aquaporin 4

Figure 1

Flow diagram of the experimental protocols. Rats were randomly divided into seven groups. The focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion model was established in rats by occluding middle cerebral artery (MCAO) with suture for two hours and then extracting the suture. Sham-operated group had the same operation but without suture insertion. In the SHD-treated group, the rats were administered with SHD for 3 days prior to MCAO. In some cases, rats were received by intracerebroventricular injection of either lentiviral-mediated AQP4-siRNA or vehicle 48 hours before ischemic induction. As shown in this figure, neurological functions were observed and brains were collected at indicated time points after reperfusion for brain water content, immunohistochemistry, and western blot analyses. I/R, ischemia/reperfusion group; MCAO, middle cerebral artery occlusion; NS, normal saline; Sham, sham-operated group; SHD, Sanhua decoction-treated group; SHD + RNAi, Sanhua decoction plus AQP4-siRNA-treated group; SHD + Vec, Sanhua decoction plus vector-treated group; RNAi, AQP4-siRNA-treated group; Vector, vector-treated group.