[Preventive effects of emodin on cerebral ischemia injury and expression of the inflammatory factors in rats with cerebral ischemia].
OBJECTIVE
To assess emodin antagonism to cerebral ischemia injury, and to discuss the mechanism of emodin inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction from the levels and expressions of cytokines.


METHODS
Rats were divided into sham-operated group, model group, Ligustrazine group and emodin groups (low, middle, high dosage). After focal cerebral ischemic model of cerebral middle artery occlusion was duplicated with nylon thread, we took the speciments after ischemia 6 hours, observed the changes of the evaluating score of neural symptoms, brain water ratio and cerebral infarction area, determined the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-beta and TGF-beta in rats brain tissue by radioimmunoassay, detected the expressions of TNF-alpha and VCAM-1 by immunohistochemistry, and measured VCAM-1-mRNA expression by in-situ hybridization.


RESULTS
Compared with sham-operated group, the evaluating score of neural symptoms, brain water ratio and cerebral infarction area of rats in model group were higher (P < 0.01) , the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta of rats brain tissue in model group increased, while the level of TGF-beta was lower, and the expressions of TNF-alpha and VCAM-1 increased (P < 0.01). The evaluating score of neural symptoms, brain water ratio and cerebral infarction area improved obviously in every emodin group, especially in emodin low dosage group. Levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and the expressions of TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 in emodin low dosage group and Ligustrazine group were lower, while the level of TGF-beta was higher. Compared with Ligustrazine group, the changes aboved are more significant in emodin low dosage group (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The increase of inflammatory cascade reaction mediated by various cytokines such as TNF, IL-1beta, ICAM-1 and the decrease of TGF protection are the important mechanism of cerebral ischemia injury. The mechanism of emodin antagonism to cerebral ischemia injury may be implemented by inhibiting inflammatory cascade reaction and increasing the brain protective factors, such as TGF.
Geriatrics Department of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450003, China. ljs8@371.net
Jian-Sheng
JS
Lu
Jing-Xia
JX
Liu
Wei-Yu
WY
Zhang
Sheng-Wang
SW
Liang
Dong
D
Wang
Jian
J
Fang
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004642:Emodin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D004642:Emodin