Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of Jiawei Naotaifang on neuronal apoptosis and the mechanism in ovariectomized rats with cerebral ischemia. Methods Female Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40) were randomly divided into sham group (n=10), model group (n=10), estrogen group (n=10) and Jiawei Naotaifang group (n=10). The model group, estrogen group and Jiawei Naotaifang group were ovariectomized. Eleven days after ovariectomy, the estrogen group and Jiawei Naotaifang group were given estrogen and Jiawei Naotaifang respectively intragastrically for three days. 14 days after ovariectomy, the model group, estrogen group and Jiawei Naotaifang group were modeled cerebral ischemia with Langa's method. 24 hours after modeling, the apoptosis rate of neurons was detected with TUNEL, and the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) in hippocampus were detected with Western blotting. Results Compared with the model group, the apoptosis rates decreased in Jiawei Naotaifang group and the estrogen group (P<0.001), with more activation of ERK1/2 (P<0.01) and less activation of JNK (P<0.01).Conclusion Jiawei Naotaifang can protect neuron from apoptosis by promoting the activation of ERK1/2 and inhibiting the activation of p-JNK.

Key words: cerebral ischemia, Jiawei Naotaifang, traditional Chinese medicine, apoptosis, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, rats