title: The potential of tetrandrine as a protective agent for ischemic stroke.
abstract: Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality, with a high incidence of severe morbidity in survivors. The treatment to minimize tissue injury after stroke is still unsatisfactory and it is mandatory to develop effective treatment strategies for stroke. The pathophysiology of ischemic stroke is complex and involves many processes including energy failure, loss of ion homeostasis, increased intracellular calcium level, platelet aggregation, production of reactive oxygen species, disruption of blood brain barrier, and inflammation and leukocyte infiltration, etc. Tetrandrine, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, has many pharmacologic effects including anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects. In addition, tetrandrine has been found to protect the liver, heart, small bowel and brain from ischemia/reperfusion injury. It is a calcium channel blocker, and can inhibit lipid peroxidation, reduce generation of reactive oxygen species, suppress the production of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, inhibit neutrophil recruitment and platelet aggregation, which are all devastating factors during ischemia/reperfusion injury of the brain. Because tetrandrine can counteract these important pathophysiological processes of ischemic stroke, it has the potential to be a protective agent for ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Pan-Chiao, New Taipei 220, Taiwan. ychen@mail.femh.org.tw
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ya-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Sheng-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C009438:tetrandrine