Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analysis of ferulic acid-puerarin-astragaloside in combination with neuroprotective in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the effects of the active ingredients combined therapy on inflammatory factors interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) based on pharmacodynamics in rats. Methods: The animal model was built by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The method for evaluating the concentrations of the FA-Pr-Al components in rat plasma was established by using HPLC and the expression levels of IL-1β and NPY were determined by ELISA. A new mathematics method of the trend of percentage rate of change (PRC) was used to assess the correlation between pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD). Results: FA-Pr-Al in combination reduced neurological deficits, decreased infarct volume and inhibited the expression levels of IL-1β and NPY (all Pmax was reached. Astragaloside's PRC value was significantly higher than those of FA and puerarin between 120 to 180 min. Conclusions: The pharmacokinetics of FA-Pr-Al in combination were closely related its pharmacodynamics in treating ischemia/reperfusion injury, and the components of FA-Pr-Al may have a synergistic pharmacological effect. Astragaloside may play a more pronounced role in regulating IL-1βand NPY levels compared with puerarin or FA.