Astragaloside IV protects against ischemic brain injury in a murine model of transient focal ischemia.
Astragalus membranaceus is a herbal medicine that has been used clinically in stroke patients in China for decades, but its potential neuroprotective effect against ischemic brain injury has not been experimentally tested. In this study, we investigated the effect of Astragaloside IV, a purified extract from Astragalus membranaceus, in a murine model of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion produced by transient (1.5 h) middle cerebral artery occlusion. As determined at 72 h after ischemia, post-ischemic treatment of Astragaloside IV (20 or 40 mg/kg) markedly and significantly (P < 0.03 vs. vehicle-treated animals) reduced infarct volume. Astragaloside IV treatment also decreased the levels of malondialdehyde, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, and increased the levels of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in ischemic tissues. The results presented here provide the first evidence of a neuroprotective effect of Astragaloside IV in the model of ischemic brain injury. We suggest that the anti-infarction effect by Astragaloside IV may be derived at least in part from its antioxidant properties.
Luo
Yumin
Y
Institute of Neurology, Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Shanghai 200040, PR China.
Qin
Zhen
Z
Hong
Zhen
Z
Zhang
Xinmin
X
Ding
Ding
D
Fu
Jian-Hui
JH
Zhang
Wei-Dong
WD
Chen
Jun
J
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000150:complications; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; C052064:astragaloside A; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase