Effect of butylphthalide in treating learning disorders in rats with radiation brain injury

Objective: We observed the effect of butylphthalide (NBP) in treating learning disorders in rats with radiation brain injury. Method: One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, low-dose NBP group and high-dose NBP group. Radiation at a dose of 22 Gy was administered to the whole brain using linear accelerator to induce radiation brain injury. HE staining was performed to observe the morphological changes of hippocampal neurons. The expressions of extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) and growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. MDA content was determined by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) colorimetry. SOD activity of the brain was measured by xanthine oxidase method. The learning capacity of rats was determined using the shuttle box paradigm. Result: Compared with the model group, the damage of nerve cells in the hippocampus was reduced and the MDA content was decreased of NBP group. The expression level of phospho-ERK1/2 and GAP-43 and activity of SOD were all higher in NBP group than in the model group; the shuttle box evaluation showed that NBP group animal active avoidance reaction was significantly increased and passive avoidance latency decreased; the above changes were most significant in the high dose NBP group. Conclusion: NBP has a good treatment effect in learning disorders caused by radiation brain injury in rats, which is related to enhanced activity of ERK1/2 and upregulation of GAP-43.