Cleaved caspase-3 (the activated form) expression by immunostaining was significantly lower in hippocampus in the ischemia with PZH treatment group (1A) compared to the ischemia control group (2A) (3.06 ± 1.97; 14.1 ± 2.93 cells/mm2; P < 0.001) and in cerebellum (7.97 ± 1.38; 10.7 ± 1.44; P < 0.001) (Figure 3), suggesting that PZH may significantly prevent apoptosis in these two brain areas as caused by the chronic ischemia. This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and ischemia.