scholarly journals Key Phytochemicals and Biological Functions of Chuanxiong Rhizoma Against Ischemic Stroke: A Network Pharmacology and Experimental Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Zeng ◽  
Yao Yi ◽  
Hong-Fei Su ◽  
Chao-Yuan Ye ◽  
Yi-Wen Sun ◽  
...  

Presently, the treatment options for ischemic stroke (IS) are limited due to the complicated pathological process of the disease. Chuanxiong Rhizome (CR), also known as Conioselinum anthriscoides “Chuanxiong” (rhizome), is the most widely used traditional Chinese medicine for treating stroke. This study aimed to uncover the key phytochemicals and biological functions of CR against IS through a network pharmacology approach combining with IS pathophysiology analysis. We employed permanent unilateral common carotid artery ligation to construct a mouse model of global cerebral ischemia and found that cerebral ischemia injuries were improved after 7 days of gavage treatment of CR (1,300 mg/kg/day). CR exerts protective effects on neurons mainly by acting on targets related to synaptic structure, synaptic function, neuronal survival and neuronal growth. A total of 18 phytochemicals from CR based on UHPLC-MS/MS that corresponded to 85 anti-IS targets. Coniferyl ferulate, neocnidilide and ferulic acid were identified as the key phytochemicals of CR against IS. Its brain protective effects involve anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, and anti-cell death activities and improves blood circulation. Additionally, the two most important synergistic effects of CR phytochemicals in treating IS are prevention of infection and regulation of blood pressure. In brain samples of Sham mice, L-tryptophan and vanillin were detected, while L-tryptophan, gallic acid, vanillin and cryptochlorogenic acid were detected in IS mice by UHPLC–MS/MS. Our findings provide a pathophysiology relevant pharmacological basis for further researches on IS therapeutic drugs.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Kening Li ◽  
Minghua Xian ◽  
Chi Chen ◽  
Shengwang Liang ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
...  

Background. NaoMaiTong (NMT) is widely used in the treatment of cerebral ischemia but the molecular details of its beneficial effects remain poorly characterized. Materials and Methods. In this study, we used iTRAQ using 2D LC-MS/MS technology to investigate the cellular mechanisms governing the protective effects of NMT. The transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model was established and evaluated. The degree of cerebral ischemia was assessed through scoring for nerve injury symptoms and through the assessment of the areas of cerebral infarction. Brain tissues were subjected to analysis by iTRAQ. High-pH HPLC and RSLC-MS/MS analysis were performed to detect differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the treatment groups (Sham, MCAO, and NMT). Bioinformatics were employed for data analysis and DEPs were validated by western blot. Results. The results showed that NMT offers protection to the neurological damage caused by MCAO and was found to reduce the areas of cerebral infarction. We detected 3216 DEPs via mass spectrometry. Of these proteins, 21 displayed altered expression following NMT intervention. These included DEPs involved in translation, cell cycle regulation, cellular nitrogen metabolism, and stress responses. Pathway analysis revealed seven key DEPs that were enriched in ribosomal synthesis pathways, tight junction formation, and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. According to protein-protein interaction analysis, RPL17, Tuba, and Rac1 were affected by NMT treatment, which was validated by western blot analysis. Discussion. We therefore identify new pharmacodynamic mechanisms of NMT for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke. These DEPs reveal new targets to prevent ischemic stroke induced neuronal damage.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 418-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas K Mattingly ◽  
Lynn M Denning ◽  
Karen L Siroen ◽  
Barb Lehrbass ◽  
Pablo Lopez-Ojeda ◽  
...  

BackgroundTotal body hypothermia is an established neuroprotectant in global cerebral ischemia. The role of hypothermia in acute ischemic stroke remains uncertain. Selective application of hypothermia to a region of focal ischemia may provide similar protection with more rapid cooling and elimination of systemic side effects. We studied the effect of selective endovascular cooling in a focal stroke model in adult domestic swine.MethodsAfter craniotomy under general anesthesia, a proximal middle cerebral artery branch was occluded for 3 h, followed by 3 h of reperfusion. In half of the animals, selective hypothermia was induced during reperfusion using a dual lumen balloon occlusion catheter placed in the ipsilateral common carotid artery. Following reperfusion, the animals were sacrificed. Brain MRI and histology were evaluated by experts who were blinded to the intervention.Results25 animals were available for analysis. Using selective hypothermia, hemicranial temperature was successfully cooled to a mean of 26.5°C. Average time from start of perfusion to attainment of moderate hypothermia (<30°C) was 25 min. Mean MRI stroke volumes were significantly reduced by selective cooling (0.050±0.059 control, 0.005±0.011 hypothermia (ratio stroke:hemisphere volume) (p=0.046). Stroke pathology volumes were reduced by 42% compared with controls (p=0.256).ConclusionsSelective moderate hypothermia was rapidly induced using endovascular techniques in a clinically realistic swine stroke model. A significant reduction in stroke volume on MRI was observed. Endovascular selective hypothermia can provide neuroprotection within time frames relevant to acute ischemic stroke treatment.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruimin Wang ◽  
Ratna Vadlamudi ◽  
Darrell W BRANN

Cardiac arrest-induced global cerebral ischemia (GCI) can lead to death of hippocampal CA1 neurons and cognitive impairment. Previous work has shown that the steroid hormone, 17β-estradiol (E2) is strongly neuroprotective against GCI, an effect that involves, in part, rapid signaling via the membrane estrogen receptor, GPR30. To gain greater insight into E2 actions, the current study examined: 1) whether GPR30 expression in the hippocampus changes after CGI, and 2) the role and potential crosstalk/synergism between local (brain-derived) and exogenous E2 in regulation of GPR30 and rapid prosurvival signaling after GCI. GCI was induced in adult ovariectomized female rats by a 4-vessel occlusion model (12-min occlusion). Vehicle or low diestrous levels of E2 were administered chronically by minipump beginning at the time of ovariectomy. The results showed that GPR30 expression in the hippocampal CA1 was unchanged at 3h, but significantly decreased at 1d and 3d after GCI. In contrast, aromatase expression showed an initial decrease at 3h, a rebound at 1day, and a robust elevation at 3 days after CGI. Administration of exogenous E2 increased both GPR30 and aromatase expression at 3h, 1d and 3d after GCI. Interestingly, central administration of the aromatase inhibitor, letrozole or aromatase antisense (AS) oligonucleotides abolished exogenous E2 enhancement of GPR30 and aromatase at 3d after GCI. Furthermore, letrozole and aromatase-AS treatment attenuated exogenous E2-induced phosphorylation/activation of prosurvival ERK1/2 and CREB following GCI, as well as exogenous E2-induced enhanced expression of BDNF, PSD95 and synaptophsin. As a whole, the results suggest that local-derived E2 may help mediate beneficial protective effects of exogenous E2 after GCI to enhance GPR30 expression, increase activation of ERK1/2-CREB-BDNF pro-survival signaling, and improve synaptic function.


Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weijie Xie ◽  
Ping Zhou ◽  
Yifan Sun ◽  
Xiangbao Meng ◽  
Ziru Dai ◽  
...  

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion is a complicated pathological process. The injury and cascade reactions caused by cerebral ischemia and reperfusion are characterized by high mortality, high recurrence, and high disability. However, only a limited number of antithrombotic drugs, such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-TPA), aspirin, and heparin, are currently available for ischemic stroke, and its safety concerns is inevitable which associated with reperfusion injury and hemorrhage. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore and examine some potential neuroprotective agents with treatment for cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury to reduce safety concerns caused by antithrombotic drugs in ischemic stroke. Ginseng Rg1 (G-Rg1) is a saponin composed of natural active ingredients and derived from the roots or stems of Panax notoginseng and ginseng in traditional Chinese medicine. Its pharmacological effects exert remarkable neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects in the central nervous system. To explore and summarize the protective effects and mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg1 against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury, we conducted this review, in which we searched the PubMed database to obtain and organize studies concerning the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg1 against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. This study provides a valuable reference and clues for the development of new agents to combat ischemic stroke. Our summarized review and analysis show that the pharmacological effects of and mechanisms underlying ginsenoside Rg1 activity against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury mainly involve 4 sets of mechanisms: anti-oxidant activity and associated apoptosis via the Akt, Nrf2/HO-1, PPARγ/HO-1, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways (or mitochondrial apoptosis pathway) and the caspase-3/ROCK1/MLC pathway; anti-inflammatory and immune stimulatory-related activities that involve apoptosis or necrosis via MAPK pathways (the JNK1/2 + ERK1/2 and PPARγ/HO-1 pathways), endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), high mobility group protein1 (HMGB1)-induced TLR2/4/9 and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) pathways, and the activation of NF-κB; neurological cell cycle, proliferation, differentiation, and regeneration via the MAPK pathways (JNK1/2 + ERK1/2, PI3K-Akt/mTOR, PKB/Akt and HIF-1α/VEGF pathways); and energy metabolism and the regulation of cellular ATP levels, the blood-brain barrier and other effects via N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors, ERS, and AMP/AMPK-GLUT pathways. Collectively, these mechanisms result in significant neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemic injury. These findings will be valuable in that they should further promote the development of candidate drugs and provide more information to support the application of previous findings in stroke clinical trials.


Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xie ◽  
Zhu ◽  
Dong ◽  
Nan ◽  
Meng ◽  
...  

Ischemic stroke is a clinically common cerebrovascular disease whose main risks include necrosis, apoptosis and cerebral infarction, all caused by cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. This process has particular significance for the treatment of stroke patients. Notoginseng leaf triterpenes (PNGL), as a valuable medicine, have been discovered to have neuroprotective effects. However, it was not confirmed that whether PNGL may possess neuroprotective effects against cerebral I/R injury. To explore the neuroprotective effects of PNGL and their underlying mechanisms, a middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model was established. In vivo results suggested that in MCAO/R model rats, PNGL pretreatment (73.0, 146, 292 mg/kg) remarkably decreased infarct volume, reduced brain water content, and improved neurological functions; moreover, PNGL (73.0, 146, 292 mg/kg) significantly alleviated blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and inhibited neuronal apoptosis and neuronal loss caused by cerebral I/R injury, while PNGL with a different concertation (146, 292 mg/kg) significantly reduced the concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1 β, and HMGB1 in serums in a dose-dependent way, which indicated that inflammation inhibition could be involved in the neuroprotective effects of PNGL. The immunofluorescence and western blot analysis showed PNGL decreased HMGB1 expression, suppressed the HMGB1-triggered inflammation, and inhibited microglia activation (IBA1) in hippocampus and cortex, thus dose-dependently downregulating inflammatory cytokines including VCAM-1, MMP-9, MMP-2, and ICAM-1 concentrations in ischemic brains. Interestingly, PNGL administration (146 mg/kg) significantly downregulated the levels of p-P44/42, p-JNK1/2 and p-P38 MAPK, and also inhibited expressions of the total NF-κB and phosphorylated NF-κB in ischemic brains, which was the downstream pathway triggered by HMGB1. All of these results indicated that the protective effects of PNGL against cerebral I/R injury could be associated with inhibiting HMGB1-triggered inflammation, suppressing the activation of MAPKs and NF-κB, and thus improved cerebral I/R-induced neuropathological changes. This study may offer insight into discovering new active compounds for the treatment of ischemic stroke.


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