title: Puerarin attenuates cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress in vascular dementia rats induced by chronic ischemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explored the effects of puerarin on cognitive deficits and tissue oxidative stress and the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 to 8 week old male Wistar rats were adopted as experimental animals. Morris water maze (MWM) test was adopted to test the learning and memory function of rats. MDA, glutathione peroxidase and total thiol assessment was done to reflect the oxidative stress in the brain tissue. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and flow cytometry (FCM) were performed to examine the cell viability and apoptosis rate. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was determined by the 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. qPCR and Western blot (WB) were adopted to test the molecular function mechanisms of puerarin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicated a protective effect of puerarin on vascular dementia. Administration of puerarin could improve the impaired learning and memory function. The levels of MDA were partially decreased by puerarin. The levels of glutathione peroxidase and total thiol were partially restored. Cell viability was improved in a dose-dependent pattern (P<0.05). Cell apoptosis rate was reduced in a dose-dependent pattern (P<0.05). Puerarin could scavenge ROS generation induced by pre-treatment of hydrogen peroxide. The results showed up-regulated levels of Nrf2, FoxO1, FoxO3 and FoxO4 (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puerarin is protective on the vascular dementia by reducing oxidative stress and improving learning and memory functions. On the molecular level, Nrf2, FoxO1, FoxO3 and FoxO4 were up regulated by puerarin.
authors.affiliation: Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University Jinan 250021, Shandong, China ; Ward of Texu, Department of Gereology, First Hospital Affiliated to Liaoning Medical University Jizhou 121000, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital Affiliated to Liaoning Medical University Jizhou 121000, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Wenshi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital Affiliated to Liaoning Medical University Jizhou 121000, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Buxian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University Jinan 250021, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Menghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Ward of Texu, Department of Gereology, First Hospital Affiliated to Liaoning Medical University Jizhou 121000, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Ward of Texu, Department of Gereology, First Hospital Affiliated to Liaoning Medical University Jizhou 121000, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Senile Neurology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University Jinan 250021, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Xueping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007529:Isoflavones; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; C033607:puerarin
keywords: Vascular dementia; cognitive dysfunction; oxidative stress; puerarin