title: Baicalin attenuates focal cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury by inhibition of protease-activated receptor-1 and apoptosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the neuro-protective effects of baicalin in Wistar rats with focal cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety adult male Wistar rats weighing 320-350 g were randomly divided into the following groups (n=5): (a) sham control group; (b) vehicle group, subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion and received vehicle intraperitoneally; (c-e) baicalin groups, which were subjected to the middle cerebral artery occlusion and treated with baicalin 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. The neurological scores were determined at postoperative 1, 3 and 7 d after the treatment. The expression of protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1), PAR-1 mRNA and Caspase-3 were determined using Western blot, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) analysis and immunohistochemistry, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decrease was noted in the neurological score in the baicalin group compared with that of the vehicle group (P<0.01). Additionally, down-regulation of PAR-1 mRNA, PAR-1 and Caspase-3 was observed in the baicalin groups compared with those obtained from the vehicle group (P<0.01). Compared with the low-dose baicalin group (25 mg/kg), remarkable decrease was noted in neurological score, and the expression of PAR-1 mRNA, PAR-1 as well as Caspase-3 in the high-dose group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baicalin showed neuro-protective effects in focal cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury through inhibiting the expression of PAR-1 and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250033, China, lianxiang1210@163.com.
authors.forename: Qing-bo
authors.initials: QB
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Cheng-zhu
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lu-yang
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044463:Receptor, PAR-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044463:Receptor, PAR-1; C038044:baicalin; D053148:Caspase 3; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors