Effect of formononetin from Trifolium pratense L. on oxidative stress, energy metabolism and inflammatory response after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice

Xueyan Wang,Tie Li,Kun Dong

doi:10.1590/fst.57821

Abstract

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) is one of the main diseases leading to death and disability. Studying the role and mechanism of drugs in mitigating CIRI is of great significance. In the present study, the effect of formononetin from Trifolium pratense L. on oxidative stress, energy metabolism impairment and inflammatory response after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) in mice were investigated. Formononetin was extracted from Trifolium pratense L. and was purified. The mice were treated with formononetin for six days. Then, the CIRI model was established. After 24 h of reperfusion, compared with model group, in formononetin group, the neurological deficit score, cerebral water content and cerebral infarction rate were significantly decreased, the brain tissue nitric oxide and malondialdehyde levels were significantly decreased, the brain tissue superoxide dismutase level was significantly increased, the brain tissue Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase activities were significantly increased, and the brain tissue tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β and interleukin 6 levels were significantly decreased. In conclusion, formononetin from Trifolium pratense L. can reduce the oxidative stress, energy metabolism impairment and inflammatory response in brain tissues, thus mitigating the CIRI in mice.

Highlights

Ischemic stroke accounts for about 80% of cerebrovascular diseases
Formononetin can prevent the myocardial from ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by suppressing the ROS-TXNIP-NLRP3 pathway (Wang et al, 2020)
This study was to investigate the effect of formononetin from Trifolium pratense L. on oxidative stress, energy metabolism and inflammatory response after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) in mice

Summary

Introduction

Ischemic stroke accounts for about 80% of cerebrovascular diseases. It is mainly due to the cerebral artery atherosclerosis, thrombus shedding and vascular damage, which lead to the cerebral artery embolism, resulting in the cerebral tissue ischemia and necrosis (Wang et al, 2019). The vascular recanalization leads to the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) (Zhang et al, 2021). (red clover) is a medicinal plant widely distributed in Europe, United States, New Zealand and China. It is being marketed for use in alleviation of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms (Kanadys et al, 2020). Formononetin is one of the main active components of Trifolium pratense L. Formononetin can prevent the myocardial from ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by suppressing the ROS-TXNIP-NLRP3 pathway (Wang et al, 2020). This study was to investigate the effect of formononetin from Trifolium pratense L. on oxidative stress, energy metabolism and inflammatory response after CIRI in mice

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion