The inhibitory effects of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (DML) on rat cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury

• Main Authors: Jia, Jian-xin, Zhang, Yu, Wang, Zhan-li, Yan, Xu-sheng, Jin, Min, Huo, Dong-sheng, Wang, He, Yang, Zhan-jun
• Other Authors: The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Health & Medicine, School of Health Sciences
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 2017
• Subjects: inhibitory effects; Dracocephalum moldavica L.; oxidative stress; inflammatory responses; Chinese herbal medicine; myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury; oxidation damage; rat models; middle cerebral artery occlusion; superoxide dismutase; DML
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1396401

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is closely associated with oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Dracocephalum moldavica L . (DML), a Chinese herbal medicine is known to exert protective effects on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rats by inhibiting oxidation damage and inflammatory reactions. However, the effectiveness of DML in cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CIRI) as a protective substance and the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined. The aim of this study was thus to examine the influence of DML on CIRI using a rat model induced by 2-h transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) produced by intraluminal suture blockade followed by 22 h reperfusion. The parameters determined include neurological behavior, histochemical assessment of cerebral infarct volume, and determination of various metabolic biomarkers. Data showed that DML markedly improved neurobehavioral scores and reduced cerebral edema and infarction. In addition, DML significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content and elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), in addition, marked decrease in levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a). Data suggest that the protective effects of DML on CIRI may be related to processes involving antioxidation and anti-inflammation.