Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is a main chemical component of the flower of Carthamus tinctorius. The present study investigated whether HSYA could attenuate brain injury induced by lymphostatic encephalopathy (LE). This was induced in adult male Wistar rats by cervical lymphatic blockade (CLB). Heart rate variability (HRV) was used as an indirect measurement of the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system by recording the ECG signals from rats. It was shown that treatment with HSYA (5 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly alleviated the neurological deficits observed in rats with LE. Histological staining revealed that HSYA treatment attenuated LE-induced cell apoptosis in the rostral ventrolateral medullus (RVLM). Animals in the LE groups exhibited impaired regulatory roles of the autonomic nervous system in cardiovascular function, which was suppressed by pretreatment with HSYA. Additionally, HSYA administration significantly prevented the decrease of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA and protein expression in the RVLM of rats with LE. These findings suggest that HSYA might provide neuroprotection against LE-induced brain injury and the associated functional alterations, which is likely regulated by the nitric oxide pathway.

α-Al2O3 nanopowders were prepared by a novel synthesis process, using the nanosized α-Al2O3 obtained from pyrolyzing ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide as seeds and the self-dispersed nanosized AlOOH crystal powders as precursors. Based on their good self-dispersion in water, the α-Al2O3 seeds were dispersed evenly into the AlOOH sol by the new homodispersion mixing technique. This process enables the conversion of AlOOH to alumina at 190°C (hydrothermal temperature), in which the alumina is calcined to nanosized alpha-alumina having an average length to diameter ratio of 60nm:15nm at 930°C. In the synthesis reaction for transforming the AlOOH to alumina, the effect of superfine pulverization and self-dispersion of the precursors was studied.

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