Effects of diterpene ginkgolides meglumine injection on neurotransmitters in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of diterpene ginkgolides meglumine injection (DGMI ) on amino acids and monoamine neurotransmitters in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Methods In-traluminal suture was applied to establish middle cere-bral artery occlusion (MCAO/R)model with ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h.After the adminis-tration of DGMI (i.v.),the levels of amino acid and monoamine neurotransmitters in brain tissue were de-tected through HPLC-ECD.Results DGMI down-reg-ulated the concentrations of aspartic acid, glutamic acid,glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid which were in-creased in MCAO/R group.DGMI also reduced the levels of norepinephrine epinephrine,glyoxylic acid, serotonin and 5-HIAA in cortex and hippocampus,and increased adrenaline content compared to the model group.Conclusion DGMI exhibits a protective role in rats with cerebral ischemia /reperfusion injury through regulating amino acids and monoamine neuro-transmitters.

Therapeutic Effect of the Mixture of Luteolin and Rutin in MPTP Induced Mouse Model of Parkinson′s Disease / 医药导报

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of the complex mixture of luteolin and rutin ( MLR) on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin ( MPTP) induced Parkinson’ s disease ( PD) mouse model. Methods Seventy-two C57BL/6 mice were divided into six groups randomly ( n=12 in each group): the normal control , model control , madopar (50 mg·kg-1) group, MLR at low (140 mg·kg-1), middle (280 mg·kg-1) and high (560 mg·kg-1) dose groups. PD mouse models were established by intraperitoneal injection of MPTP ( 30 mg · kg-1 ) . Pole test and traction performance were recorded to access the body coordinate capability and strength. The tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transport protein ( DAT) , and glial fibrillary acidic protein ( GFAP ) positive cells were detected by immunohistochemical method. Dopamine ( DA ) , dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ( DOPAC ) , homovanilic acid ( HVA ) , 5-hydroxytryptamine ( 5-HT ) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in striatum were quantified by HPLC-ECD. Results MLR significantly ameliorated mouse motor coordination ability (P<0. 01 or P<0. 05). MLR at 280 and 560 mg·kg-1 could increase TH-positive neurons by 69. 00%and 77. 95% compared with the normal control group (P<0. 01) and DAT-positive neurons by 68. 53% and 70. 40% compared with the normal control group(P<0. 05), and decrease GFAP-postive astrocyte reactivity. The treatment with MLR at three doses attenuated the monoamine neurotransmitter disorder. Conclusion MLR markedly improves MPTP caused movement coordinate ability injury in mice and exerts therapeutic action on PD by regulating neurotransmitters in brain, inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and alleviating the neuron injury.

Effect of baicalein on brain injury induced by 6-hydroxydopamine at different sites in rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the therapeutical effect and mechanism of baicalein on two 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA ) induced Parkinson′s disease (PD ) rat models,which received unilateral lesions of the left medial forebrain bundle (MFB ) or caudate putamen (CPu ) made by stereotaxic injection of 6-OHDA (MFB-M,CPu-M).Methods PD rat models were established by microinjection of 6-OHDA into MFB or CPu.The anti-tremor effect of baicalein on PD rat models was examined.Spontaneous activity was recor-ded. Dopamine (DA ), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC)and homovanilic acid (HVA)in striatum were quantified by HPLC-ECD.The tyrosine hydroxy-lase (TH)and OX-42 positive cells were detected by immunohistochemical method.The morphological vari-ation of the neurons was confirmed by analysis at an ul-trastructural level.Results Baicalein significantly in-creased the spontaneous activity in CPu-M.The elec-tromyography (EMG ) recordings revealed that com-pared with 6-OHDA group,the tremor frequency in ba-icalein group was decreased by 55% in MFB-M,and by 60% in CPu-M.6-OHDA treatment decreased DA levels in the striatum,while treatment with baicalein attenuated the DA decreases in CPu-M.Moreover,ba-icalein treatment could increase TH-positive neurons and decrease OX-42-postive microglia compared with 6-OHDA group in both MFB-M and CPu-M.Conclu-sions In the present study,it is illustrated that ①microinjection of 6-OHDA into the MFB and the CPu could cause different pathological changes of PD, which is important for efficacy evaluation;②baicalein showed the ability to alleviate the behavior symptoms in PD-rats at different stages by improving motor function and attenuating muscle tremor;③therapeutic effect of baicalein was produced by inhibiting the inflammatory medium production and release,anti-apoptosis,chan-ging dopamine catabolism, and inhibiting dopamine turnover.

Neuroprotective effect of baicalein in patients with Parkinson's disease / 中国中药杂志

Baicalein, a flavonoid compound extracted from dried roots of traditional Chinese medicine Scutellaria baicalensis, has been widely applied as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. With continuous studies on its mechanisms, recent findings suggest that baicalein has some effect on neuroprotection and improvement of clinical symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Recent studies showed that its neuroprotective efficacy is closely related to such functions as antiinflammatory, antioxidative stress, protecting chondriosome, inhibiting glutamate neurotoxicity, promoting nerve growth and inhibiting alpha-synuclein protein-aggregate activities. The aim of this article is to summarize the neuroprotective effects of baicalein in Parkinson's disease.

Pharmacokinetic Study of Baicalein and Its Major Metabolites after iv Administration in Dogs / 中草药·英文版

Objective To develop and validate a simple,rapid,sensitive,and reproducible HPLC method for simultaneous determination of baicalein and its metabolite baicalin in dog plasma and for the subsequent pharmacokinetic study after iv administration to dogs.Methods An accurate and reproducible HPLC-UV method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of baicalein and baicalin in dog plasma,using luteolin as internal standard.The analytes were separated by an Agilent Zorbax SB-C column(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm)and the column temperature was maintained at 40 ℃.The mobile phase was a binary mixture of acetonitrile and water(27:73),containing 0.05% phosphoric acid in water,with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.The UV detector was set al 276 nm.Results Linear relationships were validated over the range of 0.05-25 μg/mL for baicalein and 0.05-20 μg/mL for baicalin.The intra-and inter-day precision values for all samples were within 8.0%,using relative standard deviation.This method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic studies in dogs after iv administration of baicalein.Baicalein was converted to baicalin quickly.Cmax values were 21.13 μg/mL at 0.05 h for baicalein and 1.57 μg/mL at 0.5 h for baicalin,areas under the plasma concentration-time curve were 4.97 h.μg/mL for baicalein and 0.63 h.μtg/mL for baicalin,and the elimination half-life is 0.50 h for baicalein and 0.75 h for baicalin,respectively.Conclusion The method is able and sufficient to be used in drug metabolism and pharmacoklnetic studies of baicalein.

The study on dynamic CT perfusion imaging and in recurrence of TIA / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective Evaluation of cerebral blood flow in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) using cerebral CT perfusion imaging.Methods CT perfusion scan was performed on a consecutive series of 20 patients with clinical definite TIA.Following their initial CT scan at acute stage of TIA, patients underwent two repeat CT perfusion scanning of region of interest at acute stage and one month after symptom remission.Results Mild to moderate decrease in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and unchanged or mildly decrease in regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) were observed at acute stage in the majority cases.Normal cerebral perfusion was found in 12 cases and mild to moderate decrease of rCBF in 8 cases one month after TIA.During the one-year follow-up period, all of 12 cases with normal cerebral perfusion did not have recurrence while among 8 cases with mild to moderate decrease of rCBF at initial scan, 6 cases had recurrent TIA or cerebral infarction and 2 cases did not have recurrence.Patients with more severe cerebral perfusion defects usually had a shorter interval time between two attacks.Conclusions Intensive intervention should be performed on patients with severe and long lasting decrease of cerebral perfusion.