J Biomed Transl Res.  2016 Mar;17(1):13-19. 10.12729/jbtr.2016.17.1.013.

Protective effect of an ethanol extract mixture of Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix against ischemia-induced brain injury in rats and excitotoxicity in cultured neurons

• Choo HR
• Jang JY
• Song KS
• Seong YH

• KMID: 2368708
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12729/jbtr.2016.17.1.013

Abstract

Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix have been widely used as oriental medicinal plants in Korea, China and Japan and found to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. A previous study demonstrated a protection of an ethanol extract (SSB) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix against β amyloid protein-induced memory impairment. The current study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effect of SSB against ischemia-induced brain injury. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 2 hr middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 24 hr reperfusion (MCAO/reperfusion) in rats. Oral administration of SSB (5, 10 and 25 mg/kg) 30 min before and 1 h after MCAO, and 1 h after reperfusion reduced MCAO/reperfusion-induced brain infarct and edema formation. SSB also inhibited development of behavioral disabilities in MCAO/reperfusion-treated rats. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to 500 µM glutamate for 12 hr resulted in neuronal cell death. SSB (1-10 µg/mL) inhibited glutamateinduced neuronal death, elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of SSB against ischemia-induced brain damage might be associated with its anti-excitotoxic activity and that SSB may have a therapeutic role for prevention of neurodegeneration in stroke.

Keyword

Vitis amurensis; Aralia cordata; Glycyrrhizae radix; neuroprotection; ischemic stroke

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Amyloid
Animals
Aralia*
Brain Injuries*
Brain Ischemia
Brain*
Calcium
Cell Death
China
Edema
Ethanol*
Glutamic Acid
Glycyrrhiza*
Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery
Japan
Korea
Memory
Neurons*
Neuroprotective Agents
Plants, Medicinal
Rats*
Reactive Oxygen Species
Reperfusion
Stroke
Vitis*
Amyloid
Calcium
Ethanol
Glutamic Acid
Neuroprotective Agents
Reactive Oxygen Species