INFLUENCES OF PUERARIN ON MICROCIRCULATORY DISTURBANCE IN BRAIN OF HAMSTERS

Puerarin is one of the main effective elements of Radix puerarin. Lase r Doppler flowmetry and a computer analysis system were used to study the effects of puerarin on cerebral microcirculation and microcirculat ory disturbance induced by noradrenaline (NA) in Syrian golden hamster s. The results showed that puerarin (10 mg kg(-1)) injected intravenou sly significantly increased the blood flow volume of cerebral microcir culation and enlarge the vasomotive amplitude (p < 0.01). This effect lasted for 20-30 minutes. There was no obvious change in vasomotive fr equency. Regional microcirculatory blood flow and vasomotive amplitude decreased significantly after 50 mu l of a 0.01% noradrenaline (NA) s olution were administered onto the brain surface. Five minutes after t he administration of the same amount of puerarin, the microcirculatory disturbance induced by NA improved and was characterized by a rise of regional blood flow volume (p < 0.01) and an enlargement of vasomotiv e amplitude (p < 0.05). These results revealed that puerarin is a pote ntial effective drug in the release cerebrovascular spasm.