Scutellaria barbata Flavonoids Improve the Composited Aß-induced Abnormal Changes in Glial Cells of the Brains of Rats.

AIM: It has been reported that glial cells are involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In our previous research, Scutellaria barbata flavonoids (SBFs) were found to protect the AD-like rats from neuronal disorder and memory impairment; however, the effect of SBFs on the glial cells disorder in AD-like rats has been less studied. The effects of SBFs on astrocytes (ASs), microglial cells (MGs), and oligodendrocytes (Ols), as well as heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE), were investigated in the present study. METHODS: The successful model rats, screened by Morris water maze, were orally administrated daily with 35, 70, and 140 mg/kg SBFs for 36 d. The number of brain astrocytes (ASs), microglial cells (MGs), and oligodendrocytes (Ols) was examined by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of cortical glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), leukocyte common antigen (LCA) (CD45), Claudin 11, and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) protein were assayed by Western blotting, and the expression of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) mRNA was analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operated group, the number of ASs and MGs in the brain was significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), accompanied by an increase in the expressions of GFAP, CD45, Hsp70 protein, and ApoE mRNA (P<0.05, P<0.01). Both Ols number and the expression of Claudin 11 protein decreased in the brain in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). However, the above-mentioned abnormal changes induced by composited Aß were differently reversed by the treatment of SBFs at three doses of 35, 70, and 140 mg/kg (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: SBFs can dramatically improve the abnormal changes in glial cells of the brains of rats, induced by composited Aß, which may be utilized as a helpful treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.

Flavonoids from stem and leaf of Scutellaria baicalonsis Georgi inhibit PHF abnormality and regulatory mechanism of protein phosphatase in rats' brain induced by okadaic acid / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To investigate the effect of flavonoids from stem and leaf of Scutellaria baicalonsis Georgi(SSF)on paired helical filament(PHF)abnormality and the regulatory mechanism of protein phosphatase(PP)in rats' brain induced by okadaic acid(OA).METHODS:Male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were microinjected with OA(200 ng/kg)by the lateral ventricle to establish a memory impairment model.Morris water maze was used to screen the memory impairment model.The successful model rats were continuous intragastric infusion(ig)SSF for 36 days.The relative pro-tein expression of PHF,PP1,PP2A-Cα,PP2A-Cβ,PP2CA and PP2CB in the rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus were detected by Western blot.GinKgo biloba leaf flavonoids(GLF)were used as positive control drug.RESULTS:Compared with the sham-operated rats ,the relative protein expression of PHF in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and PP 1 in cor-tex of model rats were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the protein expression of PP2A-Cα,PP2A-Cβin the cere-bral cortex and hippocampus and PP2CB in the hippocampus were decreased(P<0.05),while the relative protein expres-sion of PP2CA and PP2CB in the cortex were significantly increased(P<0.01).SSF reversed the abnormality in the pro-tein expression of PHF,PP2A-Cαand PP2A-Cβin rat cortex and hippocampus and PP1 in rat cortex induced by OA(P<0.01),which had no significant effect on the relative protein expression of PP 2CA and PP2CB.GLF also showed similar results to SSF.CONCLUSION:SSF significantly reduces the abnormal formation of PHF in rats ' brain induced by OA ,which may be related to the regulation of PP 1,PP2A-Cαand PP2A-Cβexpression,but not with PP2CA and PP2CB ex-pression.