Research Progress on Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Blood-brain Barrier Permeability / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

The blood-brain barrier is located between blood vessels and brain parenchyma and is a composite tissue composed of brain capillary endothelial cell,astrocyte end foot,pericyte,basement membrane and their tight connections.The blood-brain barrier acts as an important barrier between the blood-brain. It strictly restricts the exchange of blood and brain tissue. On the one hand,it allows the nutrients required by the brain tissue to enter the barrier. On the other hand,the substance that damages the brain tissue is restricted from entering the barrier to maintain the stability of the neuron microenvironment. The barrier function of the blood-brain barrier also limits the concentration of drugs that treat certain diseases into the brain or reduces the concentration of drugs into the brain,affecting the treatment of certain diseases.Studies have found that Chinese medicine has the effect of regulating the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. For example, Chinese herbal medicines such as Moschus,borneol,Styorax,and Benzoinum can increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier,and can help its medicine into the brain. Its role is mainly related to the reduction of the blood-brain barrier tight junction,the inhibition of the blood-brain barrier transporter,and the inhibition of the active transport of ion channels.Orifice-opening medicinal such as borneol and Moschus can reduce the permeability of the blood-brain barrier.Certain tonifying and replenishing medicinal such as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Astragali Radix,and Paeoniae Radix Alba can also reduce the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to protect the blood-brain barrier and brain tissue.Its role is mainly related to the regulation of inflammatory reactions,increased expression of tight junction-associated proteins,and promotion of vascular endothelial proliferation.The two-way regulation of blood-brain barrier permeability by traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) may be the basis for the prevention and treatment of brain diseases by TCM.In this paper,we systematically sort out the relevant literatures on the study of the permeability of blood-brain barrier and its mechanism of action in Chinese medicine in recent years,and carry out in-depth combing and summary,in order to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of TCM to prevent and treat brain diseases.