Puerarin protects against ischemic brain injury in a rat model of transient focal ischemia.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the efficacy of puerarin, a drug used in traditional Chinese medicine, in attenuating ischemic brain injury after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion, and explores possible mechanisms underlying neuroprotective effects.


METHODS
The animal model of ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 hours followed by up to 72 hour reperfusion. The rats were randomly assigned into four groups (n=6/group): puerarin at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg or saline, administered intraperitoneally. Neurological outcome and infarct volume by 2% triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining were determined 72 hours after reperfusion. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling staining was used to detect the cell damage of brains (n=5/group). Erythropoietin activation was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (n=5/group).


RESULTS
Compared with the vehicle saline group, puerarin decreased infarction volume at doses of 200 mg/kg (p=0.045) and 400 mg/kg (p=0.0002), but not at 100 mg/kg (p=0.387). Functional neurological outcome was improved with puerarin at 400 mg/kg (p=0.015), but not at 100 mg/kg (p=0.68) or 200 mg/kg (p=0.056). Puerarin significantly decreased the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling staining cells compared with the vehicle group 4, 24 and 72 hours after reperfusion. The erythropoietin activity was higher in puerarin treated group compared with the vehicle group.


CONCLUSIONS
Puerarin has neuroprotection effects in rats at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, administered intraperitoneally after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion which may be partly due to activation of erythropoietin activity.
Gao
Li
L
Cerebrovascular Diseases Research Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
Ji
Xunming
X
Song
Juexian
J
Liu
Ping
P
Yan
Feng
F
Gong
Wei
W
Dang
Sha
S
Luo
Yumin
Y
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007529:Isoflavones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin; C033607:puerarin