BACKGROUND: Pharmacological experiments have demonstrated that gastrodin has a protective effect on neonatal rat brain subjected to hypoxia-ischemia; however,the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute therapeutic effects of gastrodin by observing prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α in brain tissue of neonatal rats that received gastrodin injections immediately after hypoxia-ischemia. DESIGN: Single-factor design. SETTING: Department of Pediatrics,Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University. MATERIALS: This study was performed in the Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics,Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University (key laboratory of provincial Health Department) from April to December 2003. Fifty-five Wistar rats of either gender,aged 7 days,were provided by the Laboratory Animal Center of Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University. The rats were randomly divided into normal control (n =10),model (n = 15),gastrodin-treated (n = 15),and Danshen-treated (n = 15) groups. The protocol was performed in accordance with guidelines from the Institute of Health Sciences for the use and care of animals. The following reagents were used: Gastrodin (Sancai Medicine Group Co.,Ltd.,Zhongshan,Guangdong Province,China; component: gastrodin),Danshen (Conba Stock Company,Jinhua,Zhengjiang Province,China; component: salvia miltiorrhiza),and reagent kits for 125I-prostaglandin B2 and 125I-6-prostaglandin F 1α (Research and Development Center for Science and Technology,General Hospital of Chinese PLA). METHODS: Rats in the normal control group received no treatment. Rats in the remaining 3 groups were anesthetized,followed by ligation of the left common carotid artery. One hour later,the rats were placed in a closed hypoxic box and allowed to inhale 8% oxygen-air (2.0-3.0 L/min) for 2 hours to develop hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Immediately after lesion,rats in the gastrodin and Danshen-treated groups were intraperitoneally injected with 1 g gastrodin (10 mL/kg) and 15 g Danshen (15 mL/kg),respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Forty-eight hours after lesion,the left brain hemisphere was removed and homogenized to test the levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Forty successfully lesioned neonatal rats from the model,gastrodin-treated,and Danshen-treated groups,and ten rats from the control group,were included in the final analysis. Levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α in brain tissue of neonatal rats were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group (both P < 0.01). Levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α were significantly lower in the gastrodin-treated and the Danshen-treated groups compared to the model group (all P < 0.01). However,there were no significant differences in levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α between the gastrodin-treated and the Danshen-treated groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gastrodin decreased prostaglandin and thromboxan levels in neonatal rat brains subjected to hypoxia-ischemia. BACKGROUND: Pharmacological experiments have demonstrated that gastrodin has a protective effect on neonatal rat brain subjected to hypoxia-ischemia; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute therapeutic effects of gastrodin by Observing prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha in brain tissue of neonatal rats that received gastrodin injections immediately after hypoxia-ischemia. DESIGN: Single-factor design. SETTING: Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University. MATERIALS: This study was performed in the Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University (key laboratory of provincial Health Department) from April to December 2003. Fifty-five Wistar rats of either gender, aged 7 days, were provided by the Laboratory Animal Center of Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University. The rats were randomly divided into normal control (n = 10), model (n = 15), gastrodin-treated (n = 15), and Danshen-treated (n = 15) groups. The protocol was performed in accordance with guidelines from the Institute of Health Sciences for the use and care of animals. The following reagents were used : Gastrodin (Sancai Medicine Group Co., Ltd., Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China; component: gastrodin), Danshen (Conba Stock Company, Jinhua, Zhengjiang Province, China; component: salvia miltiorrhiza), and reagent kits for 125I- prostaglandin B2 and 125I-6-prostaglandin F 1α (Research and Development Center for Science and Technology, General Hospital of Chinese PLA). METHODS: Rats in the normal control group received no treatment. Rats in the remaining 3 groups were anesthetized, followed by ligation of the left common carotid artery. One hour later, the rats were placed in a closed hypoxic box and allowed to inhale 8% oxygen-air (2.0-3.0 L / min) for 2 hours to develop hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Immediately after lesion , rats in the gastrodin and Danshen-treated g roThe ups were intraperitoneally injected with 1 g gastrodin (10 mL / kg) and 15 g Danshen (15 mL / kg), respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Forty-eight hours after lesion, the left brain hemisphere was removed and homogenized to test the levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Forty successfully lesioned neonatal rats from the model, gastrodin-treated, and Danshen-treated groups, and ten rats from the control group, were included in the final analysis. Levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α in brain tissue of neonatal rats were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group (both P <0.01). Levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α were significantly lower in the gastrodin-treated and the Danshen-treated groups compared to the model group (all P <0.01). However, there were no significant differences in levels of prostaglandin B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α between the gastrodin-treated and the Da nshen-treated groups (P> 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gastrodin reduced prostaglandin and thromboxan levels in neonatal rat brains subjected to hypoxia-ischemia.