Astragaloside improves outcomes of traumatic brain injury in rats by reducing microglia activation.
Astragaloside (AST) is traditionally prescribed for the prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. We directly tested the therapeutic effects of AST in a rat model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). One hour after the onset of TBI rats were given Saline (1 ml/kg) or AST (20-80 mg/kg) via i.p. injection. AST causes the attenuation of TBI-induced cerebral contusion, neuronal apoptosis, and neurological motor dysfunction. TBI-induced microglial activation evidenced by the morphological transformation of microglia (or ameboid microglia) and the microglial overexpression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was reduced by AST. Our results indicate that AST may protect against brain contusion and neuronal apoptosis after TBI by attenuating microglia activation in male rats.
Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University Shuang-Ho Hospital, New Taipei City 23561, Taiwan , Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan , Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Shun-Tai
ST
Yang
Jia-Wei
JW
Lin
Bi-Ying
BY
Chiu
Yao-Chin
YC
Hsu
Ching-Ping
CP
Chang
Cheng-Kuei
CK
Chang
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C052064:astragaloside A
Astragaloside; Microglia; Traumatic Brain Injury; Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha