title: Neuroprotective effects of salidroside on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury involve the nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway.
abstract: Salidroside, the main active ingredient extracted from Rhodiola crenulata, has been shown to be neuroprotective in ischemic cerebral injury, but the underlying mechanism for this neuroprotection is poorly understood. In the current study, the neuroprotective effect of salidroside on cerebral ischemia-induced oxidative stress and the role of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway was investigated in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion. Salidroside (30 mg/kg) reduced infarct size, improved neurological function and histological changes, increased activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase, and reduced malon-dialdehyde levels after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Furthermore, salidroside apparently increased Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 expression. These results suggest that salidroside exerts its neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia through anti-oxidant mechanisms and that activation of the Nrf2 pathway is involved. The Nrf2/antioxidant response element pathway may become a new therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Zhu
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China; Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4747-7503
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Dian
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6776-5855
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: cerebral ischemia and reperfusion; heme oxygenase-1; middle cerebral artery occlusion model; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neuroprotection; nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; salidroside; superoxide dismutase; traditional Chinese medicine