Protective effects of gangliosides on cerebral neuronal damage of rat during acute hypoxia

Objective To observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of gangliosides on acute altitude hypoxic brain damage. Method Fifteen Wistar rats, weighed 180～220 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups,hypoxia group A,hypoxia group B and normoxia group. The rats in hypoxia group A were exposed to a simulated altitude of 7000 m for 5 hours and the rats in hypoxia group B were exposed to hypoxia after intraperitoneal administration of mixed gangliosides(100 mg/kg/d) for 3 days. Result Gangliosides could ameliorate the severity of damage in neuronal bodies、cellular skeletons and synapses, especially in synapses. Conclusion It is suggested that gangliosides are effective in preventing and treating hypoxic brain damages by decreasing the accumulation of intracellular Ca 2+ ,and stabilizing CaM and CaM PKII activity during acute hypoxia.