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Cerebral ischemia triggers vascular dementia (VD), which is characterized by memory loss, cognitive deficits, and vascular injury in the brain. Puerarin (Pur) represents the major isoflavone glycoside of Radix Puerariae, with verified neuroprotective activity and cardiovascular protective effects. However, whether Pur ameliorates cognitive impairment and vascular injury in rats with permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (BCCAO) remains unknown. This work aimed to assess Pur’s effects on BCCAO-induced VD and to dissect the underlying mechanisms, especially examining the function of transient receptor potential melastatin-related 2 (TRPM2) in alleviating cognitive deficits and vascular injuries. Rats with BCCAO developed VD. Pur (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg) dose-dependently attenuated the pathological changes, increased synaptic structural plasticity in the dorsal CA1 hippocampal region and decreased oxidative stress, which eventually reduced cognitive impairment and vascular injury in BCCAO rats. Notably, Pur-improved neuronal cell loss, synaptic structural plasticity, and endothelial vasorelaxation function might be mediated by the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent TRPM2/NMDAR pathway, evidenced by decreased levels of ROS, malondialdehyde (MDA), Bax, Bax/Bcl2, and TRPM2, and increased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), Bcl2, and NR2A. In conclusion, Pur has therapeutic potential for VD, alleviating neuronal cell apoptosis and vascular injury, which may be related to the ROS-dependent TRPM2/NMDAR pathway.

Agarwood is the resinous heartwood of Aquilaria species. However, low yields and high costs of existing stimulation methods have led to the need for new techniques to produce agarwood rapidly and effectively. We developed a biological agarwood-inducing technique (Agar-Bit) that produces high yields and quality within 6 months. To better understand agarwood formation by Agar-Bit, dynamic gene expressions of key synthetases pathways of sesquiterpenes and chalcone-related enzymes at different times were determined after both Agar-Bit and the traditional burning chisel drilling (BCD) stimulation on Aquilaria sinensis trees. The qRT-PCR results show that some characteristic synthase genes were expressed at greatly different levels and times compared with the controls. For the Agar-Bit technology, main changes were after the 3rd or 5th month, while BCD expression clearly changed at the 5th month. Essential oils and total chromone contents were simultaneously determined. In the Agar-Bit group, both were higher and similar to natural levels. The Agar-Bit methodology is a new option for producing agarwood as demonstrated by genetic and chemical aspects. The differences in gene expression within 6 months for both groups indicates that the mechanisms of the two methods are different. These findings provide information on genetic variation during the process of agarwood formation.

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