论文部分内容阅读
Oenanthe javanica is an aquatic perennial herb that belongs to theOenanthe genus in Apiaceae family, and it displays well-known medicinal properties such as protective effects against glu-tamate-induced neurotoxicity. However, few studies regarding effects ofOenanthe javanica on neurogenesis in the brain have been reported. In this study, we examined the effects of a normal diet and a diet containing ethanol extract ofOenanthe javanica on cell proliferation and neu-roblast differentiation in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adolescent rats using Ki-67 (an endogenous marker for cell proliferation) and doublecortin (a marker for neuroblast). Our results showed thatOenanthe javanica extract signiifcantly increased the number of Ki-67-immunoreactive cells and doublecortin-immunoreactive neuroblasts in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the adolescent rats. In addition, the immunoreactivity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was signiifcantly increased in the dentate gyrus of theOe-nanthe javanica extract-treated group compared with the control group. However, we did not ifnd that vascular endothelial growth factor expression was increased in theOenanthe javanica extract-treated group compared with the control group. These results indicate thatOenanthe javanica extract improves cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation by increasing brain-de-rived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in the rat dentate gyrus.