title: Neuroprotective effect of ginsenoside-Rg1 on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats by downregulating protease-activated receptor-1 expression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ginsenoside-Rg1 (G-Rg1), a saponin that is a primary component of ginseng, is very useful and important in traditional Chinese medicine for stroke. The objective of this study was to explore the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effect of G-Rg1 on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurological examinations were performed by using Longa's 5-point scale. The brain infarct volume was determined by the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was evaluated by Evans blue dye. Western blot and quantitative RT-PCR were used to assess protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After G-Rg1 treatment, there was a significant decrease in the neurobehavioral function score compared with normal saline (NS) treatment after ischemia/reperfusion (P<0.05). G-Rg1 significantly reduced the infarct volume compared with NS treatment after ischemia/reperfusion (P<0.001). The permeability of the BBB was significantly decreased in the G-Rg1 group compared with the NS group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Western blot and quantitative real time RT-PCR indicated that G-Rg1 administration down-regulated the expression of PAR-1 in the ischemic hemisphere compared with NS administration (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). The level of PAR-1 expression strongly correlated with BBB permeability in both the G-Rg1- and NS-treated rats (r=0.856 and r=0.908, respectively, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  G-Rg1 may ameliorate the neurological injury, the brain infarct volume and the BBB permeability induced by focal cerebral ischemia in rats and its neuroprotective mechanism is related to the down-regulation of PAR-1 expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Long
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Ji-Huang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China. Electronic address: gq_zheng@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Guo-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China. Electronic address: 38805@163.com.
authors.forename: Liang-Xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044463:Receptor, PAR-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
chemical_list: D036145:Ginsenosides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D044463:Receptor, PAR-1; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
keywords: Ginsenoside-Rg1; Middle cerebral artery occlusion; Neuroprotection; Protease-activated receptor-1