In vitro and in vivo neuroprotective effect and mechanisms of glabridin, a major active isoflavan from Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice).
Stroke is a life-threatening disease characterized by rapidly developing clinical signs of focal or global disturbance of cerebral function due to cerebral ischemia. A number of flavonoids have been shown to attenuate the cerebral injuries in stroked animal models. Glabridin, a major flavonoid of Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), possesses multiple pharmacological activities. This study aimed to investigate whether glabridin modulated the cerebral injuries induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats and staurosporine-induced damage in cultured rat cortical neurons and the possible mechanisms involved. Our study showed that glabridin at 25mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection, but not at 5mg/kg, significantly decreased the focal infarct volume, cerebral histological damage and apoptosis in MCAO rats compared to sham-operated rats. Glabridin significantly attenuated the level of brain malonyldialdehyde (MDA) in MCAO rats, while it elevated the level of two endogenous antioxidants in the brain, i.e. superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Co-treatment with glabridin significantly inhibited the staurosporine-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis of cultured rat cortical neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. Consistently, glabridin significantly reduced the DNA laddering caused by staurosporine in a concentration-dependent manner. Glabridin also suppressed the elevated Bax protein and caspase-3 proenzyme and decreased bcl-2 induced by staurosporine in cultured rat cortical neurons, facilitating cell survival. Glabridin also inhibited superoxide production in cultured cortical neurons exposed to staurosporine. These findings indicated that glabridin had a neuroprotective effect via modulation of multiple pathways associated with apoptosis. Further studies are warranted to further investigate the biochemical mechanisms for the protective effect of glabridin on neurons and the evidence for clinical use of licorice in the management of cerebral ischemia.
Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Xue-Qing
XQ
Yu
Charlie Changli
CC
Xue
Zhi-Wei
ZW
Zhou
Chun-Guang
CG
Li
Yao-Min
YM
Du
Jun
J
Liang
Shu-Feng
SF
Zhou
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000150:complications; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010636:Phenols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D007529:Isoflavones; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010636:Phenols; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; C107601:glabridin