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Xanthohumol is the principal prenylated flavonoid in hops (Humulus lupulus L.), an ingredient of beer. Xanthohumol was found to be a potent chemopreventive agent; however, no data are available concerning its neuroprotective effects. In the present study, the neuroprotective activity and mechanisms of xanthohumol in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischemia were examined. Treatment with xanthohumol (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg; intraperitoneally) 10 min before MCAO dose-dependently attenuated focal cerebral ischemia and improved neurobehavioral deficits in cerebral ischemic rats. Xanthohumol treatment produced a marked reduction in infarct size compared to that in control rats. MCAO-induced focal cerebral ischemia was associated with increases in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and active caspase-3 protein expressions in ischemic regions. These expressions were obviously inhibited by treatment with xanthohumol. In addition, xanthohumol (3-70 μM) concentration-dependently inhibited platelet aggregation stimulated by collagen (1 μg/mL) in human platelet-rich plasma. An electron spin resonance (ESR) method was used to examine the scavenging activity of xanthohumol on free radicals which had formed. Xanthohumol (1.5 and 3 μM) markedly reduced the ESR signal intensity of hydroxyl radical (OH•) formation in the H₂O₂/NaOH/DMSO system. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time that in addition to its originally being considered an agent preventing tumor growth, xanthohumol possesses potent neuroprotective activity. This activity is mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of inflammatory responses (i.e., HIF-1α, iNOS expression, and free radical formation), apoptosis (i.e., TNF-α, active caspase-3), and platelet activation, resulting in a reduction of infarct volume and improvement in neurobehavior in rats with cerebral ischemia. Therefore, this novel role of xanthohumol may represent high therapeutic potential for treatment or prevention of ischemia-reperfusion injury-related disorders.

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Bone defects caused by various etiologies must be filled with suitable substances to promote bone repair. Autogenous iliac crest graft is most frequently used, but is often associated with morbidities. Several bone graft substitutes have been developed to provide osteoconductive matrices as well as to enhance osteoinductivity. A tricalcium phosphate and glutaraldehyde crosslinked gelatin (GTG) scaffold, incorporated with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), was developed to provide an alternative mean of bone tissue engineering. This study investigated differences between GTG and BMP-4 immobilized GTG (GTG-BMP) scaffolds on neonatal rat calvaria osteoblast activities. The GTG scaffold possessed an average pore size of 200 microm and a porosity of 75%. HE staining revealed uniform cell distribution throughout the scaffold 24 h post cell seeding. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of the GTG samples increased initially and then stabilized at 3 weeks postseeding. ALP activity of the GTG-BMP samples was similar to that of the GTG samples in the second and third weeks, but it continued increasing and became significantly greater than that of the GTG samples by the fourth week. Gla-type osteocalcin (Gla-OC) activity of the GTG-BMP samples was initially lower, but also became significantly greater than that of the GTG samples by the fourth week. An HE stain revealed greater numbers of attached cells and a richer matrix deposits in the GTG-BMP samples. A von Kossa stain showed larger mineralizing nodules, in greater numbers, after 4 weeks of in vitro cultivation. These findings suggest that the GTG scaffold provides an excellent porous structure, conductive to greater cell attachment and osteoblast differentiation, and that utility can be significantly enhanced by the inclusion of BMPs. A GTG-BMP scaffold holds promise as a superior bioactive material for bone tissue engineering.

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