Total Glycosides of Promote Neurological Function Recovery by Inducing Neurovascular Regeneration Nrf-2/Keap-1 Pathway in MCAO/R Rats.

BACKGROUND

The traditional Chinese medicine has been reported to be valid for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, its active components for the protection of ischemic stroke are not clear. We aimed to explore the active components of against ischemic stroke as well as its potential mechanisms.

METHODS

We investigated the brain protective effects of extracts from , total glycosides (TGs), polysaccharides (PSs), and oligosaccharides (OSs) in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion-reperfusion (MCAO/R). 2, 3, 5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was used to assess the cerebral infarction volume, and Evans blue assay was adopted to assess the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Then, the expressions CD31, α-SMA, PDGFRβ, SYN, PSD95, MAP-2, ZO-1, claudin-5, occludin, Keap-1, and Nrf-2 were analyzed using western blotting or immunofluorescence, and the activities MDA, SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px were analyzed using kits.

RESULTS

TGs treatment remarkably decreased neurological deficit scores and infarction volumes, promoted angiogenesis and neural remodeling, and effectively maintained blood-brain-barrier integrity compared with the model group. Furthermore, TGs significantly decreased MDA levels and increased antioxidant activities (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) in brains. Meanwhile, TGs remarkably downregulated Keap-1 expression and facilitated Nrf-2 nuclear translocation. On the contrary, no protective effects were observed for PSs and OSs groups.

CONCLUSION

TGs are the main active components of against MCAO/R-induced cerebral injury, and protection is mainly the Nrf-2/Keap-1 pathway.