The effect of radix salviae miltiorrnizae on vasoactive intestinal peptide in ischemic rat brain

The levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP） in three regions of rat brain were assayed in 62 rats. In saline-treated rats, VIP levels of cerebral cortex and caudate nucleas in 3-hour group were significantly decreased in comparison with the sham-operated group. No significant difference was found between RSM-treated and sham-operated groups. The preliminary results suggest that VIP may be involved in the pathophysiologic procedures of cerebral ischemia and RSM may attenuate the dysfunction of VIP during cerebral ischemia.