Protective effects of gastrodin on cerebral ischemic transient middle cerebral arterial occlusion-reperfusion

OBJECTIVE To investigate the neuroprotective effects of gastrodin on the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion damage in rats caused by transient middle cerebral arterial occlusion(MCAO),and to explore the protective mechanisms.METHODS The SD rats were administered with gastrodine by gavage once a day for 7 d and the animals were then subjected to right-middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h and reperfusion for a week except the sham operation group.Then the neurologic functional scores,the brain infarct size of the rats were analyzed with the neurological severity score(NSS).The ischemic penumbra and central area were distinguished by TTC and HE staining methods.For analyzing the mechanism,the number of neuronal apoptosis was assessed by terminal oxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP biotin nick end labeling(TUNEL).The mRNA level of HIF-1α,Ptgs2,sod1,sod2,Gsk3a was detected by real time RT-PCR,respectively.RESULTS The infarct volume and neurological score in gastrodin-treated groups were lower than those in model group,and gastrodin significantly attenuated the apoptosis and the expression of Gsk3a and Ptgs2 of rats,reduced the mRNA expressions of HIF-1α,sod1 and sod2.CONCLUSION Gastrodin has a neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.The mechanisms may,at least partly,be due to scavenging free radical,inhibiting neuronal apoptosis.