Cerebral protection of purified Herba Leonuri extract on middle cerebral artery occluded rats

Aim of studyOxidative stress is involved in stroke. In particular, Chinese Herbal Medicine with antioxidant properties is believed to have potential therapeutic effect. In this study, neuroprotective effects of purified Herba Leonuri (pHL) were evaluated in Wistar rats undergone middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).Materials and methodsThe rats were treated with their respective treatments for 2 weeks prior to the MCAO, continually treated for another 7 days after MCAO. During the post-surgery treatment period, neurological deficit score was measured. At the end of treatment, animals were sacrificed and samples were collected for analysis of infarct volume, apoptosis and antioxidant analysis.ResultsUnder the treatment of pHL, the infarct volume was reduced significantly from 20.75 ± 0.03% to 15.19 ± 0.02% (p < 0.05). The neurological impairment was alleviated to 1.82 as compared to vehicle (2.43). Plasma antioxidant concentration was increased from 0.31 ± 0.03 mM to 0.42 ± 0.05 mM (p < 0.05). DNA oxidative damage was reduced to 1.19 ± 0.03 in stroke pHL treated group (p < 0.05 as compared to vehicle group, 1.78 ± 0.03). pHL could reduce the level of apoptosis and also the pro-apoptotic proteins, but increase the level of anti-apoptotic proteins.ConclusionpHL is believed to have promising therapeutic effect for stroke treatment through antioxidant mechanisms.

Graphical abstractPurified Herba Leonuri (pHL) with five known compounds was shown to have therapeutic potential on middle cerebral artery occluded rats by reducing infarct volume, neurological impairment, oxidative damage and apoptosis, probably through its antioxidant effect.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide