Effects of Ficus Platyphylla-Induced Hypothermia on Long-term Functional Recovery after Ischaemic Stroke

Abstract

A stroke is a cerebrovascular disease that results from a blockage in the blood supply to part of the brain or a burst blood vessel in the brain. It is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with an annual mortality rate of about 5.5 million. Antithrombotic therapies have failed to provide a cure for this debilitating cerebrovascular disorder, and hypothermia is gaining interest as a novel strategy for the management of stroke. In this study, we evaluated the effects of Ficus platyphylla-induced hypothermia on long-term functional recovery after ischaemic stroke. Histomorphological analysis of the brain demonstrated pathological alterations in the ipsilateral hemisphere of all animals. Animals treated before or immediately after permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) had significantly smaller infarct sizes than those given saline. Surgery and treatment did not affect locomotor activity. There were no significant differences between the groups of mice in terms of parameters associated with situational anxiety, including the number of arm changes and percentile time spent on open arms. There were no significant differences between groups regarding the number of buried marbles and sociability. Surgery and treatment did not affect social recognition, but a significant interaction between surgery and treatment was observed. The time mice remained on the rota rod was relatively similar for all groups tested, with no significant differences related to surgery and treatment, nor was there any surgery/treatment interaction. A learning effect represented by a decrease in exploratory activity was observed irrespective of surgery and treatment, and there was no surgery/treatment interaction. The results suggest that Ficus platyphylla-induced hypothermia could be beneficial to long-term functional recovery after ischaemic stroke.