Nicotiflorin reduces cerebral ischemic damage and upregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase in primarily cultured rat cerebral blood vessel endothelial cells.
Nicotiflorin is a flavonoid glycoside extracted from a traditional Chinese medicine Flos Carthami. In the current study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of nicotiflorin on a transient focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model in rats. Nicotiflorin (2.5-10 mg/kg) administered after onset of ischemia markedly reduced brain infarct volume by 24.5-63.2% and neurological deficits. Also the effect of nicotiflorin on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity, mRNA and protein expression after hypoxia-reoxygenation (H-R) treatment was investigated in an in vitro model mimic cerebrum ischemia-reperfusion in vivo. After total 4 h hypoxia and 12 h reoxygenation, eNOS activity, mRNA and protein levels in the primarily cultured rat cerebral blood vessel endothelial cells treated with nicotiflorin (25-100 microg/ml) 2 h after onset of hypoxia were significantly higher than eNOS activity, mRNA and protein levels in the pure H-R cells and also higher than eNOS activity, mRNA and protein levels in cells cultured under normoxic conditions. The results demonstrated that nicotiflorin had a protective effect against cerebral ischemic damage. The results also gave an important elucidation for the mechanism underlying the protective effect at the cellular level.
Li
Runping
R
Department of Diving Medicine, Faculty of Navy Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Guo
Meili
M
Zhang
Ge
G
Xu
Xiongfei
X
Li
Quan
Q
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
D017931:DNA Primers; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C513882:nicotiflorin; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III