Effects of ginkgo diterpene lactone on brain inflammation and oxidative stress in rats with cognitive impairment of cerebral small vessel disease.

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate the effects of ginkgo diterpene lactone on brain inflammation and oxidative stress in rats with cognitive impairment of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

METHODS

We equally assigned 40 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats to the observation group (OG) and the control group (CG) and modeled them for cognitive impairment of CSVD. Rats in OG were given ginkgo diterpene lactone for treatment, while those in CG were injected with the same amount of normal saline. The learning and memorizing ability of rats was tested by the water maze. The oxidative stress and inflammatory response in rats were evaluated. The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endostatin (ES) mRNA in the hippocampus of rats were measured. Vascular smooth muscle cells of rats were sampled for cell viability and apoptosis assays.

RESULTS

Rats from OG were superior to those from CG in the learning and memorizing ability. After treatment, rats from OG had markedly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and higher levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) than those from CG (all < 0.05). Concentrations of interleukin-18 (IL-18), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and amyloid β-protein 1-40 (Aβ1-40) were markedly lower in OG than in CG (all < 0.05). Rats from OG had markedly higher VEGF levels and lower ES mRNA levels than those from CG (all < 0.05). Cell viability gradually decreased in rats from OG after treatment and was markedly lower than that in rats from CG ( < 0.05). Cell apoptosis rate was markedly higher in OG than in CG ( < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Ginkgo diterpene lactone can inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response in rats with cognitive impairment of CSVD to a certain degree.