Simultaneous Determination of Six Components in Zhuqi Piantan Granules and the Protective Effect of Combined Electroacupuncture on Cerebral Injury in Rats With Ischemic Stroke

Objective This study aimed to establish a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous quantification of six components in Zhuqi Piantan Granules, and to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Zhuqi Piantan Granules alone or combined with electroacupuncture on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Methods Zhuqi Piantan Granules were extracted with 80% methanol. HPLC analysis employed a C18 column and gradient elution using acetonitrile and 0.3% phosphoric acid as the mobile phase. Modeled rats were randomly grouped, given corresponding interventions for 14 days, and evaluated for neurological function, cerebral infarct ratio, vascular density, brain histological changes (hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining), and Angiopoietin-1/Tyrosine Kinase Receptor-2(Ang-1/Tie-2) protein expressions (Western Blotting). Results All six target components exhibited excellent linear relationships (r ≥ 0.9994). The average recoveries ranged from 97.1% to 99.5%. Both Zhuqi Piantan Granules alone and their combination with electroacupuncture improved neurological function, reduced infarct ratio, increased vascular density, alleviated brain pathological damage, and upregulated Ang-1/Tie-2 expressions—with the combined treatment showing superior efficacy. Conclusion The established HPLC method is reliable and suitable for Zhuqi Piantan Granules quality control. Zhuqi Piantan Granules alone or combined with electroacupuncture alleviates rat cerebral injury by activating the Ang-1/Tie-2 pathway to promote angiogenesis.