Barbaloin Attenuates Cerebral Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury in Rats and Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Inflammatory Responses in BV2 Microglial Cells
Caiyun Liu, Lin Wang, Hongyan Ren, Lijun Liu, Zhihu YangAbstract
Background:
Barbaloin (BAR) is a naturally occurring bioactive anthracycline derived from the leaf exudates of aloe plants with a variety of biological and pharmacological properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of BAR against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and the possible underlying mechanisms.
Materials and Methods:
Middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion was used to induce cerebral I/R injury in rats, and BAR was administered intraperitoneally after the onset of ischemia.
Results:
We found that BAR remarkably improved neurological scores, reduced brain infarct volume, and inhibited neuronal apoptosis in cerebral I/R rats. Furthermore, BAR upregulated Bcl-2 protein levels and downregulated cleaved caspase-3, Bax, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the ischemic cortex. I/R injury-induced increases in malondialdehyde content, and decreases in glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly attenuated by BAR administration.
Conclusion:
Taken together, our data suggest that BAR possesses neuroprotective effects against cerebral I/R injury through antiapoptotic, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory properties.