Biol. Pharm. Bull. 29(4) 623—628 (2006)

rivation of blood flow to the brain, results in the insidious delayed degeneration of specific vulnerable neurons within the hippocampus. Among hippocampal neurons, pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1 region are most vulnerable to cerebral ischemia. Death of the CA1 pyramidal cells following cerebral ischemia causes a variety of neurological dysfunction such as depression and memory deficits. In traditional Eastern medicine, the extracts of various Berberidaceae (Berberis aquifolium, Berberis vulgaris and Berberis aristata) are used for rheumatic complaints and other types of chronic inflammation. It has been reported that the functional components of the extracts were alkaloid components such as berberine, oxyacanthine, berbamine and palmatine. The anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity of the Berberidaceae extract is well established. Moreover, cardiotonic and antiarrhythmic activities have also been reported. Despite the considerable works done on berberic species in inflammation, cardiotonic and antiarrhythmic effects, its effects and roles in ischemic damage in the brain remains to be elucidated. It has been postulated that the neuronal hyperactivity due to an elevation of extracellular excitatory amino acids during ischemia leads to a massive increase in intracellular-free Ca , which may trigger the process of neuronal degeneration. In the present study, therefore, we investigated the percentage of berberine by HPLC, which is active ingredient, and the neuroprotective effects of crude berberry extract (BE) against ischemic damage and the temporal and spatial alterations of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor type 1 (NR1) and NR2A/B, the major excitatory amino acid receptors, immunoreactivities in the hippocampus induced by transient ischemia to examine anti-ischemic effects and their roles after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils.