Int Neurourol J.  2019 Nov;23(Suppl 2):S102-S110. 10.5213/inj.1938216.108.

Berberine Ameliorates Brain Inflammation in Poloxamer 407-Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats

• Kim M
• Kim TW
• Kim CJ
• Shin MS
• Hong M
• Park HS
• Park SS

• KMID: 2467318
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5213/inj.1938216.108

Abstract

PURPOSE
Hyperlipidemia, which promotes the development of atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, and other forms of brain injury, can be induced by poloxamer-407. Berberine is a primary pharmacological active component of Coptidis Rhizoma that has a number of therapeutic activities. This study investigated the effects of berberine on poloxamer-407-induced brain inflammation by evaluating its effects on short-term memory, cell proliferation, inflammation, and apoptosis in the hippocampus.
METHODS
To induce hyperlipidemia in a rat model, 500 mg/kg of poloxamer-407 was injected intraperitoneally. Berberine was orally administered to the rats in the berberine-treated groups once a day for 4 weeks. The step-down task avoidance task was performed to measure short-term memory. An analysis of serum lipids, immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2"²-deoxyuridine, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) in the dentate gyrus, and western blot analysis for Bax, Bcl-2, and cytochrome c in the hippocampus were performed.
RESULTS
In hyperlipidemic rats, berberine reduced the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hyperlipidemic rats. Berberine also increased cell proliferation and short-term memory, as well as decreasing the expression of GFAP, Iba1, Bax, and cytochrome c and increasing Bcl-2 expression.
CONCLUSIONS
Berberine treatment improved short-term memory in hyperlipidemia by increasing neuronal proliferation and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis. Berberine treatment also improved lipid metabolism.

Keyword

Hyperlipidemia; Berberine; Poloxamer; Apoptosis; Glial fibrillary acidic protein; Iba1

MeSH Terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Atherosclerosis
Berberine*
Blotting, Western
Brain Injuries
Brain*
Cell Proliferation
Cholesterol
Cytochromes c
Dentate Gyrus
Encephalitis*
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Hippocampus
Hyperlipidemias
Immunohistochemistry
Inflammation
Lipid Metabolism
Lipoproteins
Memory, Short-Term
Models, Animal
Neurons
Poloxamer*
Rats*
Stroke
Triglycerides
Berberine
Cholesterol
Cytochromes c
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Lipoproteins
Poloxamer
Triglycerides