Scutellarin as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Microglia-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Cerebral Ischemia.
The cerebral ischemia is one of the most common diseases in the central nervous system that causes progressive disability or even death. In this connection, the inflammatory response mediated by the activated microglia is believed to play a central role in this pathogenesis. In the event of brain injury, activated microglia can clear the cellular debris and invading pathogens, release neurotrophic factors, etc., but in chronic activation microglia may cause neuronal death through the release of excessive inflammatory mediators. Therefore, suppression of microglial over-reaction and microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is deemed to be a therapeutic strategy of choice for cerebral ischemic damage. In the search for potential herbal extracts that are endowed with the property in suppressing the microglial activation and amelioration of neuroinflammation, attention has recently been drawn to scutellarin, a Chinese herbal extract. Here, we review the roles of activated microglia and the effects of scutellarin on activated microglia in pathological conditions especially in ischemic stroke. We have further extended the investigation with special reference to the effects of scutellarin on Notch signaling, one of the several signaling pathways known to be involved in microglial activation. Furthermore, in light of our recent experimental evidence that activated microglia can regulate astrogliosis, an interglial "cross-talk" that was amplified by scutellarin, it is suggested that in designing of a more effective therapeutic strategy for clinical management of cerebral ischemia both glial types should be considered collectively.
Department of Anatomy and Histology/Embryology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, 1168 West Chunrong Road, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China.
Yun
Y
Yuan
Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
Ming
M
Fang
Department of Anatomy and Histology/Embryology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, 1168 West Chunrong Road, Kunming, 650500, People's Republic of China. wuchunyunkm@163.com.
Chun-Yun
CY
Wu
Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 4 Medical Drive, MD10, Singapore, 117594, Singapore. antlea@nus.edu.sg.
Eng-Ang
EA
Ling
D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005965:Glucuronates; C484876:scutellarin; D047310:Apigenin
Activated microglia; Neuroinflammation; Neuroprotection; Notch signaling; Reactive astrocytes; Scutellarin