title: Flavocoxid, dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase, exhibits neuroprotection in rat model of ischaemic stroke.
abstract: The efficacy of flavocoxid, a prescription medical food used in osteoarthritis in the USA, containing natural flavonoids, baicalin and catechin in experimentally induced cerebral ischaemia in rats was evaluated. Rationale behind the study was that the transient acute ischaemic attack triggers neuroinflammatory cascade. Global cerebral ischaemia was induced transiently by occluding both common carotid arteries for 15 min followed by restoration of perfusion. Flavocoxid (50, 100, 200mg/kg; p.o.) pre-treatment was instituted 6 days prior to surgery and fluoxetine (10mg/kg, p.o.) and rivastigmine (2mg/kg, p.o.) as a standard treatment for depression and cognition impairment was implied from day 1 after the surgery. Different behavioural, biochemical, neurochemical tests, molecular markers of inflammation e.g. tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 beta, and nuclear factor-kappa B levels and infarct volume were determined. Flavocoxid's strong antioxidant properties figured out from the decreased level of lipid peroxidation and protection of endogenous antioxidants like reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase. It also reduced TNF-α, IL-1β, and NF-κB levels, and infarct volume as well as protected the loss of biogenic amines in brain tissue of ischaemic rats. This dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-1 and 2 with additional 5-lipoxygenase inhibition activity might be useful as a potential neuroprotectant medical food in ischaemic stroke prone patient population.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advance Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India.
authors.forename: Dhirendra Pratap
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC Centre of Advance Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India. Electronic address: dr_chopra_k@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kanwaljit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chopra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001094:Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002392:Catechin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; C544478:flavocoxid; D002392:Catechin; D001094:Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase
keywords: Cyclooxygenase; Interleukin; Lipoxygenase; Neuroprotection; Nuclear factor kappa B; Tumour necrosis factor