Effects of pretreatment with methanol extract of Peucedani Radix on transient ischemic brain injury in mice

So-Youn Jung,Kyoung-Min Kim,Suin Cho,Young Kyun Kim,Chiyeon Lim,Sehyun Lim

doi:10.1186/s13020-017-0151-z

So-Youn Jung, Kyoung-Min Kim + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-017-0151-z

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Abstract

BackgroundStroke is the second most common cause of death and may result in various disabilities; thus, identification of neuroprotective therapeutic agents is important. Peucedani Radix (PR), the root of Angelica decursiva, is a well-known remedy for damp and phlegm in Korean medicine and has also been shown to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study was performed to investigate the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effect of methanol extract of PR (PRex) on cerebral ischemic injury.MethodsC57BL/6 male mice were orally administered PRex (20, 60, or 200 mg/kg) at 2 days, 1 day, and 1 h prior to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Twenty-four hours after MCAO, the infarct volume was measured and the neurological deficit score was assessed. The inflammatory-related substances in the ipsilateral hemisphere were determined by western blotting, DCFH-DA assay, TBARS assay, and ELISA.ResultsPRex pretreatment significantly decreased the infarct volume at 24 h after MCAO. Moreover, PRex effectively suppressed the expression of iNOS, ROS, MDA, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, in brain tissue of mice with MCAO-induced brain injury.ConclusionsPRex protected neurons from ischemic brain injury in mice through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Our results suggested that PR could be a promising candidate in the therapy of ischemia-induced brain damage.

Highlights

Stroke is the second most common cause of death and may result in various disabilities; iden‐ tification of neuroprotective therapeutic agents is important
Determination of ROS To measure the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), ROS generation in the brain was determined in tissue homogenates by using dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) [20]
To demonstrate the effects of PR extract (PRex) pretreatment on ischemia-induced brain damage, the infarct volumes in the brain, the neurological deficit scores, and the expression of oxidative stress factors and inflammatory cytokines were observed at 24 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced brain injury in mice

Summary

Introduction

Stroke is the second most common cause of death and may result in various disabilities; iden‐ tification of neuroprotective therapeutic agents is important. Peucedani Radix (PR), the root of Angelica decursiva, is a well-known remedy for damp and phlegm in Korean medicine and has been shown to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study was performed to investigate the mechanism underlying the anti-inflamma‐ tory effect of methanol extract of PR (PRex) on cerebral ischemic injury. Coumarins from A. decursiva were demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and inflammation-associated disorders [17, 18] These studies demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of PR, which may offer a potential treatment for cerebral damage as oxidative stress and inflammation are responsible for ischemic injury and can eventually result in neuronal death [19]. To determine whether PR inhibits ischemic brain damage, we observed infarct volumes, neurological deficits, and inflammatory mediators in mice with MCAO-induced brain injury after PRex pretreatment

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