title: Asiaticoside attenuates memory impairment induced by transient cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in mice through anti-inflammatory mechanism.
abstract: Asiaticoside (AS) is isolated from Centella asiatica (L.) which has been using for a long time as a memory enhancing drug in India. This study was to investigate the effects of AS on memory impairment and inflammatory cytokines expression induced by transient cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in mice, as well as the potential signaling pathway. Transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (tBCCAO) induced severe memory deficits in mice according to the Morris water maze task and the step-down passive avoidance test. Meanwhile the microglial activation and the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were increased in the hippocampus of the mice with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Oral administration of AS (40 and 60 mg/kg, once per day, started the day after surgery and lasted for 7 days) significantly ameliorated the memory impairment and the inflammation. Moreover, AS (20, 40 and 60 mg/kg) markedly reduced the microglial overactivation and the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in hippocampus compared with the transient cerebral ischemia and reperfusion group. These results suggested that AS showed the neuroprotective effect against transient cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in mice, and this effect might be associated with the anti-inflammation effect of AS via inhibiting overactivation of p38 MAPK pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: She
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhu-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhan-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China. Electronic address: fuqiang@cpu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Chinese and Western Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, PR China. Electronic address: qur2004@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China. Electronic address: spma@cpu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shi-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014315:Triterpenes; C004446:asiaticoside
keywords: Asiaticoside; Cerebral ischemia; Inflammation; Memory impairment; Reperfusion