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Abstract

ABSTRACT Acute hypobaric and hypoxic environment can reduce the activity of peroxidase in brain tissue and increase the accumulation of peroxide products, so as to enhance the risk of cerebral microcirculation disorders. Rhodiola rosea (RR) is a classic prescription of herbal medicine and has been widely used in Chinese clinics to treat hypoxic brain injury at high altitude (HBIHA). However, the molecular pharmacological activity of RR in HBIHA is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of RR on malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and brain microcirculation in rats with HBIHA. 150 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (normal control, model control, dexamethasone control, high-dose RR, low-dose RR), 30 rats each group. The rats in each group were fed in a low-pressure oxygen environment control system for 48 h. After anesthesia, blood flow images of focused vessels and oxidative stress indexes in brain tissue were collected to be compared. It was shown that RR could enhance the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and SOD in brain tissue, and remove the peroxide product MDA. In the brains of the normal rats, cortical blood vessels had regular shapes and the flow was continuous in small, medium and large vessels. The proportion of PPV was 99.12±0.48%, and the density of PVD index was 6.54±0.11 mm². The index of MFI decreased in the model group (P<0.01). RR can protect the brain tissue of rats suffering from HBIHA through the dual mechanisms of antioxidant and improvement of cerebral blood flow, so as to enhance the hemoperfusion of small microvessels.