An experimental research on the expression of c-Fos protein in trigeminal nucleus caudalis of migraine rat model induced by nitroglycerin after the intervention of Yangxueqingnao granules

Abstract

Objective To observe the effect of Yangxueqingnao granules on c-Fos protein expression in trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) of nitroglycerin-induced migraine rats.  Methods A total of 108 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, high-dose treatment group, low-dose treatment group, high-dose prevention and low-dose prevention group, and then each group was randomly divided into 3 subgroups: 30, 60 and 180 min group. The experimental migraine rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of nitroglycerin. The rats of normal control group were subcutaneously injected with saline solution of the same dosage. The rats of high- and low-dose treatment group were respectively administered with gastric perfusion of high- and low-dose Yangxueqingnao granules once 10 min after the modeling. The rats of high- and low- dose prevention group were respectively administered with gastric perfusion of high- and low- dose Yangxueqingnao granules for 7 d before the modeling. The rats were sacrificed and the brain tissues were collected at corresponding time points. Related behavior indexes of rats in each group were observed and recorded. TNC c-Fos protein expression changes were measured and compared among different groups.  Results At all time points, the c-Fos expression level of model group had no statistical difference from high- and low-dose treatment group (P > 0.05, for all). However, it was higher than that in high-dose prevention group (P = 0.031, 0.000, 0.000), while was only lower than that in low-dose prevention group at 60 and 180 min after modeling (P = 0.000, for all). There was statistical difference between high- and low-dose prevention group only at 30 min after modeling (P = 0.029). Conclusions The Yangxueqingnao granules can significantly decrease TNC c-Fos protein expression, which suggests that the preventive effect of Yangxueqingnao granules may be greater than the therapeutical effect on migraine. Its preventive effect may be associated with the decrease of TNC c-Fos protein expression.

doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2014.08.012