Effect and Mechanism of Jiawei Shaomu Decoction on a Rat Model of Post-Stroke Spasm

Abstract

To establish a blood stasis model of rats and its subsequent stroke spasm model and to investigate the therapeutic effects of Jiawei Shaomu decoction on muscle spasm in blood stasis type stroke rats using experimental technical means including pathology, immunity and molecular biology. A total of 100 rats were divided into blank group (rats without modeling), blood stasis group (rats with blood stasis syndrome), stroke group (rats with blood stasis type stroke), positive drug group (rats with baclofen+blood stasis type stroke), Shaomu group (rats with Shaoyao Mugua decoction+blood stasis type stroke) and Jiawei group (rats with Jiawei Shaoyao Mugua decoction+blood stasis type stroke). Then, after treatment by gavage, the weight-bearing swimming time, grip strength and coagulation indexes were detected to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Jiawei Shaomu decoction on blood stasis type stroke rats. The therapeutic effects of Jiawei Shaomu decoction on muscle spasms after stroke were analyzed by examining the electromyography, antioxidant indexes, biochemical indexes and inflammatory factors in the gastrocnemius muscle of rats in each group. The protein content and gene expression related to acetylcholine receptor signal pathway were detected to analyze the mechanism by which Jiawei Shaomu decoction inhibits rats with post stroke spasm. Shaomu decoction and Jiawei Shaomu decoction can effectively resist the inflammatory reaction that appears in motor tissues after stroke by increasing antioxidant capacity. Shaomu decoction and Jiawei Shaomu decoction achieve their effects in treating muscle spasms after stroke by inhibiting the extracellular signal regulated kinase signal pathway and downregulating acetylcholine receptor concentrations on the muscle cell membrane. Jiawei Shaomu decoction is superior to Shaomu decoction in treating post stroke spasm of blood stasis type.