Hydroxysafflor Yellow A protects spinal cords from ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits.
BACKGROUND
Hydroxysafflor Yellow A (HSYA), which is one of the most important active ingredients of the Chinese herb Carthamus tinctorius L, is widely used in the treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. However, the potential protective effect of HSYA in spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is still unknown.


METHODS
Thirty-nine rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: sham group, I/R group and HSYA group. All animals were sacrificed after neurological evaluation with modified Tarlov criteria at the 48th hour after reperfusion, and the spinal cord segments (L4-6) were harvested for histopathological examination, biochemical analysis and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining.


RESULTS
Neurological outcomes in HSYA group were slightly improved compared with those in I/R group. Histopathological analysis revealed that HSYA treatment attenuated I/R induced necrosis in spinal cords. Similarly, alleviated oxidative stress was indicated by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after HSYA treatment. Moreover, as seen from TUNEL results, HSYA also protected neurons from I/R-induced apoptosis in rabbits.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that HSYA may protect spinal cords from I/R injury by alleviating oxidative stress and reducing neuronal apoptosis in rabbits.
Shan
Le-qun
LQ
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an, China.
Ma
Sai
S
Qiu
Xiu-chun
XC
Zhou
Yong
Y
Zhang
Yong
Y
Zheng
Lian-he
LH
Ren
Peng-cheng
PC
Wang
Yu-cai
YC
Fan
Qing-yu
QY
Ma
Bao-an
BA
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002599:Chalcone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011809:Quinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011809:Quinones; C085278:hydroxysafflor yellow A; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002599:Chalcone; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase