The Phenolic Components of Gastrodia elata improve Prognosis in Rats after Cerebral IschemiaReperfusion by Enhancing the Endogenous Antioxidant Mechanisms

Abstract EN

Pharmacological or spontaneous thrombolysis in ischemic stroke triggers an outbreak of reactive oxygen species and results in neuron death.

Nrf2-mediated antioxidation in cells has been proved as a pivotal target for neuroprotection.

This research reports that phenolic components of Gastrodia elata Blume (PCGE), a traditional Chinese medicine, can alleviate the pathological lesions in the penumbra and hippocampus by increasing the survival of neurons and astrocytes and improve neurofunction and cognition after reperfusion in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion.

LDH assay indicated that pretreatment of cells with PCGE (25 μg/ml) for 24 h significantly reduced H2O2-induced cell death in astrocytes and SH-SY5Y cells.

Western blot showed that the nucleus accumulation of Nrf2 and the expression of cellular HO-1 and NQO-1, two of Nrf2 downstream proteins, were increased in both cells.

BDNF, an Nrf2-dependent neurotrophic factor, was also upregulated by PCGE in astrocytes.

These results illustrated that PCGE can reduce the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and improve prognosis by remedying the cell damage within affected tissues.

The protective effects of PCGE seem to be via activation of a Nrf2-mediated cellular defense system.

Therefore, PCGE could be a therapeutic candidate for ischemic stroke and other oxidative stress associated neurological disorders.