[MORPHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF THE EXTRACT OF ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS ON THE BRAIN OF RATS SUBJECTED TO IMMOBILIZATION STRESS].

The aim of the study was to analyze histological and morphometric changes in the brain of rats subjected to immobilization stress and to assess the neuroprotective effect of the extract of Astragalus membranaceus (AE). The work was carried out on Wistar rats that were divided into 3 groups (6 animals in each): group 1 — intact rats; group 2 — control animals subjected to immobilization stress for 18 h; group 3 — rats treated orally with AE (50 mg/kg) for 7 days and then subjected to immobilization stress. The level of stress-induced brain damage was assessed by a morphometric method, by measuring the proportions of morphologically intact neurons, hyperchromatic shrunken neurons and neurons with the signs of degeneration in layers III–V of the cerebral cortex and CA1 region of the hippocampus in the standard area of the section. Immobilization stress in rats led to a clearly pronounced neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. AE was found to limit the stress-induced neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus: the proportion of hyperchromatic shrunken neurons was reduced 3 and 4.6 times, respectively, compared to control.