Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2014, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (3): 268-275.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.128220

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Atorvastatin protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects

Qiuyun Tu1, Hui Cao2, Wei Zhong2, Binrong Ding1, Xiangqi Tang2   

  1. 1 Department of Geriatrics, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
    2 Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
  • Received:2013-11-02 Online:2014-02-15 Published:2014-02-15
  • Contact: iangqi Tang, M.D., Department of Neurology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China, txq6633@126.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province in China, No. 11JJ5081; grants from Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Department in China, No. 2012SK3226 and 2011SK3236; the National Natural Science Foudation of China, No. 81271298/H0906.

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Abstract:

In addition to its lipid-lowering effect, atorvastatin exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects as well. In this study, we hypothesized that atorvastatin could protect against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. The middle cerebral artery ischemia/reperfusion model was established, and atorvastatin, 6.5 mg/kg, was administered by gavage. We found that, after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, levels of the inflammation-related factors E-selectin and myeloperoxidase were upregulated, the oxidative stress-related marker malondialdehyde was increased, and superoxide dismutase activity was decreased in the ischemic cerebral cortex. Atorvastatin pretreatment significantly inhibited these changes. Our findings indicate that atorvastatin protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Key words: nerve regeneration, brain injury, cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, atorvastatin, E-selectin, myeloperoxidase, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, inflammation, free radicals, blood-brain barrier, stroke, NSFC grant, neural regeneration