title: The optimal therapeutic timing and mechanism of puerarin treatment of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the optimal therapeutic timing and mechanism of puerarin treatment of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  The spinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was conducted in male Sprague-Dawley rats, and 50mg/kg of puerarin was injected intraperitoneally at 1, 2, 4 and 6h after the injury. Motor function was measured 48 h after reperfusion started. Thioredoxin expression and apoptosis indices were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement of motor function at 1, 2, and 4h was demonstrated in the animals with puerarin treatment. Ischemia-reperfusion injury resulted in a decrease in the expression of thioredoxin, while puerarin administration elevated the expression of thioredoxin-1/thioredoxin-2 mRNA. Apoptosis indices were significantly reduced by puerarin administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that administration of puerarin within 4h of spinal ischemia-reperfusion injury reduces ischemic reperfusion damage, and that the neuroprotective effect of puerarin involves an increase in the transcription of thioredoxin and a reduction of apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang City 110024, Liaoning Province, China. tianfeng2002@sina.com
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Li-Hui
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiang-Lu
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013879:Thioredoxins; C033607:puerarin