title: Gypenosides improve cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats by suppressing oxidative stress and astrocytic activation.
abstract: Gypenosides (GP), the saponin extract derived from the Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino, a widely reputed medicinal plant in China, has been reported to have some neuroprotective effects. We used a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion to investigate the protective effects of GP on the cortex and hippocampal CA1 region and the underlying mechanisms for its inhibition of cognitive decline. Daily doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg GP were orally administered to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats for 61 days after inducing cerebral hypoperfusion experimentally, and spatial learning and memory were assessed using the Morris water maze. Antioxidative capability was measured biochemically. The levels of lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage were assessed by immunohistochemical staining for 4-hydroxynonenal and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, respectively. Activated astrocytes were assessed by immunohistochemical staining and western blotting with GFAP antibodies. Rats receiving 200 mg/kg GP had better spatial learning and memory than saline-treated rats. GP 200 mg/kg/day were found to markedly enhance antioxidant abilities, decrease lipid peroxide products and oxidative DNA damage, and reduce the activation of inflammatory astrocytes. However, GP 100 mg/kg had no significant effects. GP may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of dementia induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and further evaluation is warranted.
authors: Institute for Functional Neurosurgery PLA and Institute for Functional Brain Disorders, Tang Du Hospital, Xi'an, P.R. China.
authors: Guang-Lin
authors: GL
authors: Zhang
authors: Jian-Ping
authors: JP
authors: Deng
authors: Ben-Han
authors: BH
authors: Wang
authors: Zhen-Wei
authors: ZW
authors: Zhao
authors: Jiang
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Gao
authors: Bo-Lin
authors: BL
authors: Liu
authors: Jia-Rui
authors: JR
authors: Xong
authors: Xiao-Dong
authors: XD
authors: Guo
authors: Zhi-Qiang
authors: ZQ
authors: Yan
authors: Guo-Dong
authors: GD
authors: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D001681:Biological Assay; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D056547:CA1 Region, Hippocampal / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D029774:Gynostemma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C474918:gypenoside