Abstract
We aimed to determine the protective effects against cerebral ischemia and osteoporosis of Morinda citrifolia extract in experimental menopause. The neuroprotective effect was assessed by giving M. citrifolia leaf extract at doses of 2, 10, and 50 mg/kg BW to the bilateral ovariectomized (OVX) rats for 7 days. Then, they were occluded in the right middle cerebral artery (MCAO) for 90 minutes. The neurological score, brain infarction volume, oxidative stress status, and ERK1/2 and eNOS activities were assessed 24 hours later. M. citrifolia improved neurological score, brain infarction, and brain oxidative stress status in the cortex of OVX rats plus the MCAO. No changes in ERK 1/2 signal pathway and NOS expression were observed in this area. Our data suggested that the neuroprotective effect of the extract might occur partly via the improvement of oxidative stress status in the cortex. The antiosteoporotic effect in OVX rats was also assessed after an 84-day intervention of M. citrifolia. The serum levels of calcium, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase and osteoblast density in the tibia were increased, but the density of osteoclast was decreased in OVX rats which received the extract. Therefore, the current data suggested that the extract possessed antiosteoporotic effect by increasing bone formation but decreasing bone resorption.
Highlights
The number of menopausal women is continuously increasing accompanied with the rising of the aging population
Based on the crucial role of nitric oxide on brain damage following ischemic stroke [13], we explored the effect of M. citrifolia on the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), a key enzyme playing an important role in nitric oxide (NO) synthesis
The current results revealed that the extract of M. citrifolia leaves produced the improvement in neurological score and infarction size in the cerebral cortex of OVX rats with MCAO
Summary
The number of menopausal women is continuously increasing accompanied with the rising of the aging population. During this period, the risks of stroke [1] and osteoporosis are increased [2]. Accumulative lines of evidence have demonstrated that substances possessing antioxidant effect are the promising therapeutic agent against stroke [4] and osteoporosis in ovariectomized (OVX) rat [5]. Based on these pieces of information, the preventive effect against stroke and osteoporosis of a medicinal plant possessing antioxidant activity has been considered
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