ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the effect of panax quinquefolium 20s-protopanaxtriolsaponins ( PQTS) on the inflammatory reac-tion after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.Methods: Wistar rats were randomly divided into the sham , the model, PQTS treatment groups respectively at dose of 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg· kg-1 and the positive control group (flunarizine hydrochloride injec-tions, FHI, 2.0 mg· kg-1).All the rats were with intraperitoneal injection once a day for 3 consecutive days.The rats were subjected to 2-hour transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by 24-hour reperfusion.The neurological function was scored and the infarct volume was measured after the 24-hour reperfusion.Brain edema was measured by the dry-wet weight.Myeloperox-idase ( MPO) activity was determined by a spectrophotometer .The permeability of blood brain barrier was evaluated by the Evans blue content in brain determined by a spectrophotometer .The mRNA levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis fac-tor-α( TNF-α) were evaluated by QPCR test .Moreover , the expression of NF-κBp65 was analyzed using Western blotting .Results:Compared with the model group , PQTS and FHI treatment groups (12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg· kg-1 ) and FHI group could improve the neurological function , decrease the infarct size , reduce the brain water content , inhibit the MPO activity and reduce the permeability of blood brain barrier.In addition, PQTS and FHI treatment groups (12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg· kg-1 ) also effectively inhibited the in-crease in the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and reduced the protein expression of NF-κBp65 when compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:The results indicated that PQTS and FHI can significantly protect brain against cerebral is-chemia/reperfusion injury in rats by anti-inflammatory actions.