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

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.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13020-017-0151-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of the methanol fraction of modified Seonghyangjeongki-san water extract on transient ischaemic brain injury in mice

“…Ischaemic stroke was induced by MCAO, as previously described by Jung et al (2017). Briefly, the mice were initially anaesthetised with 2% isoflurane, and anaesthesia was maintained using 1.5% isoflurane in a mixture of 70% N 2 O and 30% O 2 .…”

“…During the MCAO procedure, rCBF was monitored (Jung et al 2017) using a laser Doppler flowmeter connected to a single fibre optic probe adhering to the skull surface of the core area supplied by the left. The reduction and maintenance of rCBF under 20% of the pre-ischaemic baseline was used to confirm the occlusion, and rCBF recovery of more than 40% of the preischaemic baseline was considered successful reperfusion.…”

“…The brains harvested 24 h after MCAO were immediately sliced into 1 mm coronal sections to obtain 10 sections per brain from the olfactory bulb to the area immediately before the cerebellum. Sections were incubated with 2% 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) solution for 17 min at 25 C and then soaked in 10% neutral buffered formalin for more than 2 h. Total infarct volumes in these sections were calculated using infarct areas as previously described (Jung et al 2017) with a digital camera (Canon 20 D, Canon Korea, Korea) and ImageJ software (NIH, MD, USA).…”

“…At 24, 48, and 72 h after MCAO, neurological deficit scores were determined as previously described (Jung et al 2017) using the following five-point scale: 0, no neurological deficit; 1, incomplete extension of the right forepaw and reduced grip when the tail was pulled; 2, voluntary movement in all directions and turning to the right when the tail was pulled; 3, walking or circling to the right and sensitive to nociception when stimulated; and 4, no response to stimulation or stroke-related death.…”

Baicalin Administered Orally After Ischemia/Reperfusion Alleviated Brain Injury in Mice by Inhibiting Inflammation and Edema

“…Sections were stained 2% TTC for 17 minutes at room temperature (25 ℃) and then immersed in 10% NBF for 2 hours. Total infarct volumes were calculated using lesion areas, as described by Jung et al 23 using ImageJ software (NIH, MA). Cerebral edema indices were calculated by dividing areas in damaged ipsilateral hemispheres by the areas of corresponding normal contralateral hemisphere areas using TTC-stained brain slice images, as described by Sebastiani et al 24 In order to evaluate the effects of baicalin treatment on edema development after MCAO, wet weight/dry weight ratios of whole brains were determined using a reliable speed-vacuum drying method.…”