title: Arjunolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoidal saponin of Terminalia arjuna bark protects neurons from oxidative stress associated damage in focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arjunolic acid (AA), a pentacyclic triterpenoidal saponin of Terminalia arjuna is well recognized for its antioxidant properties. We proposed to evaluate its antioxidant potential against focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, rats were randomly divided into a sham, MCAO, AA (10 and 20mg/kg) treated groups. Rats received their respective treatment orally by gavage for 7 days prior to MCAO. Rats were anaesthetized with ketamine (100mg/kg), xylazine (10mg/kg) and subjected to 2h occlusion and 22h reperfusion. Neurological deficit, brain water content and oxidative stress markers were measured after 22h of reperfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats pretreated with AA showed significantly reduced neurological deficit score, infarct size. AA prevented neuronal damage induced by I/R by regulating the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), protein carbonyl content and mitochondria generated reactive oxygen species. In addition, it also controlled the enzyme activities of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-treatment with AA effectively prevented the cerebral I/R induced oxidative damage by virtue of its antioxidant potential. These results indicate that supplementation of AA may be beneficial in stroke prone population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (Women's University), Tirupati, India.
authors.forename: Lavanya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yaidikar
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (Women's University), Tirupati, India. Electronic address: drsanthrani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Santhrani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thakur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029766:Terminalia / Q000737:chemistry*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; C061640:arjunolic acid
keywords: Arjunolic acid; Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury; Neuroprotection; Oxidative damage