title: Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicines against Ischemic Injury in In Vivo Models of Cerebral Ischemia.
abstract: Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of acute ischemic stroke. In the ischemic cascade, resident microglia are rapidly activated in the brain parenchyma and subsequently trigger inflammatory mediator release, which facilitates leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in inflammation. Activated leukocytes invade the endothelial cell junctions and destroy the blood-brain barrier integrity, leading to brain edema. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) stimulation in microglia/macrophages through the activation of intercellular signaling pathways secretes various proinflammatory cytokines and enzymes and then aggravates cerebral ischemic injury. The secreted cytokines activate the proinflammatory transcription factors, which subsequently regulate cytokine expression, leading to the amplification of the inflammatory response and exacerbation of the secondary brain injury. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), including TCM-derived active compounds, Chinese herbs, and TCM formulations, exert neuroprotective effects against inflammatory responses by downregulating the following: ischemia-induced microglial activation, microglia/macrophage-mediated cytokine production, proinflammatory enzyme production, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, matrix metalloproteinases, TLR expression, and deleterious transcription factor activation. TCMs also aid in upregulating anti-inflammatory cytokine expression and neuroprotective transcription factor activation in the ischemic lesion in the inflammatory cascade during the acute phase of cerebral ischemia. Thus, TCMs exert potent anti-inflammatory properties in ischemic stroke and warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, Hui-Sheng Hospital, Taichung 42056, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Yi
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1423-1283
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9510-3146
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee