Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2015, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (12): 1989-1996.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.172317

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Neuroprotective effects of salidroside on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury involve the nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway

Jing Han1, Qing Xiao1, Yan-hua Lin1, Zhen-zhu Zheng1, Zhao-dong He1, Juan Hu1, 2, *, Li-dian Chen2, *   

  1. 1 Institute of Materia Medica, Fujian Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
    2 Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
  • Received:2015-10-12 Online:2015-12-30 Published:2015-12-30
  • Contact: Juan Hu, Ph.D. or Li-dian Chen, Ph.D., huj@fjtcm.edu.cn or lidianchen87@yahoo.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the Independent Research Project of Fujian Academy of Traditional
    Chinese Medicine in China, No. 2012fjzyyk-4; the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province in China, No. 2014J01340; the Research Project of Fujian Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission, No. 2014-ZQN-JC-32; a grant from the Platform for Preclinical Studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Quality Control Engineering Technology Research Center of Fujian Province in China, No. 2009Y2003.

PDF

575

Abstract:

Salidroside, the main active ingredient extracted from Rhodiola crenulata, has been shown to be neuroprotective in ischemic cerebral injury, but the underlying mechanism for this neuroprotection is poorly understood. In the current study, the neuroprotective effect of salidroside on cerebral ischemia-induced oxidative stress and the role of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway was investigated in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion. Salidroside (30 mg/kg) reduced infarct size, improved neurological function and histological changes, increased activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase, and reduced malon-dialdehyde levels after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Furthermore, salidroside apparently increased Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 expression. These results suggest that salidroside exerts its neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia through anti-oxidant mechanisms and that activation of the Nrf2 pathway is involved. The Nrf2/antioxidant response element pathway may become a new therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Key words: nerve regeneration, traditional Chinese medicine, salidroside, cerebral ischemia and reperfusion, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1, middle cerebral artery occlusion model, superoxide dismutase, neuroprotection, neural regeneration