title: Astragaloside IV protects new born rats from anesthesia-induced apoptosis in the developing brain.
abstract: Exposure to general anesthesia may cause severe neurotoxicity in developing brain due to neuronal apoptosis. Astragaloside IV (AS IV) has antioxidant and antiapoptosis properties; however, its effects on anesthesia-induced neuroapoptosis have not been studied. In the present study, we determined whether AS IV pre-treatment is able to reduce isoflurane exposure-induced neuroapoptosis in rats. New born rats were pre-treated with AS IV or solvent by oral gavage for three days, then exposed to isoflurane. The results showed that pre-treatment of AS IV significantly inhibited isoflurane-induced neural apoptosis in the hippocampus of new born rats, and such protection was accompanied by reduced levels of caspase-3, nuclear factor-κB activation and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase and increased levels of B-cell lymphoma-2, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, Klotho and phosphorylated protein kinase B. Furthermore, AS IV pre-treatment significantly alleviated isoflurane-induced oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine release in the rat hippocampus and serum. In summery, the results of the study demonstrated that AS IV is able to protect developing brain from anesthesia-induced neuroapoptosis via anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
authors: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China; Department of Anesthesiology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Huai'an, Huai'an, Jiangsu 223002, P.R. China.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Huai'an, Jiangsu 223002, P.R. China.
authors: Xiao-Ling
authors: XL
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Huai'an, Jiangsu 223003, P.R. China.
authors: Jin-Yu
authors: JY
authors: Zheng
authors: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China.
authors: Jian-Wei
authors: JW
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Drum Tower Clinical Medical School, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China.
authors: Zheng-Liang
authors: ZL
authors: Ma
keywords: anesthesia; astragaloside IV; inflammation; neurotoxicity; oxidative stress