The Phenolic Components of Gastrodia elata improve Prognosis in Rats after Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion by Enhancing the Endogenous Antioxidant Mechanisms

Figure 5

PCGE treatment reduced the damage of neurons and astrocytes in ischemic penumbra. Panel (a) shows normal neurons (arrows) in the sham group or damaged neurons that are shrunken, dense, and angular morphous (arrowheads) in the vehicle group. Panel (b) shows normal astrocytes that are stellate morphous (arrows) in the sham group or damaged astrocytes with pyknosis and are ameboid morphous (arrowheads) in the vehicle group. Nimodipine or PCGE treatment alleviated the morphological damage of neurons and astrocytes at days 7 and 14 after I/R. Bar = 10 μm. Panels (c) and (d) show the effect of PCGE on the numbers of viable neurons (MAP2⁺, 0.1 mm²) and astrocytes (GFAP⁺, 0.1 mm²) in the penumbra at 3, 7, and 14 days after I/R. Data are expressed as mean ± SE. . and versus the sham group; and versus the vehicle group.