Hydroxysafflor yellow A improves learning and memory in a rat model of vascular dementia by increasing VEGF and NR1 in the hippocampus

Abstract

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) has angiogenesisregulating and neuro-protective effects, but its effects on vascular dementia (VaD) are unknown. In this study, 30 adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to fi ve groups: normal, sham-operation, VaD alone (bilateral carotid artery occlusion), VaD plus saline (control), and VaD plus HSYA. One week after operation, the HSYA group received one daily tail-vein injection of 0.6 mg/100 g HSYA for two weeks. Five weeks after operation, the spatial memory of all fi ve groups was evaluated by the water maze task, and synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus was assessed by the long-term potentiation (LTP) method. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and N-methyl-Daspartic acid receptor 1 (NR1) expression in the hippocampus was detected via Western blot. We found that, compared with the group with VaD alone, the group with HSYA had a reduced escape latency in the water maze (P <0.05), and the LTP at CA3-CA1 synapses in the hippocampus was enhanced (P <0.05). Western blot in the late-phase VaD group showed slight up-regulation of VEGF and downregulation of NR1 in the hippocampus, while HSYA signifi cantly up-regulated both VEGF and NR1. These results suggested that HSYA promotes angiogenesis and increases synaptic plasticity, thus improving spatial learning and memory in the rat model of VaD.

De Novo Sequencing and Analysis of the Safflower Transcriptome to Discover Putative Genes Associated with Safflor Yellow in Carthamus tinctorius L.

“…Safflower yellow pigments (SYPs), which are isolated from safflower petals, as flavonoid compounds, have been extensively applied in many fields, including as a medicine and natural food colorant. Hydroxysafflor Yellow A (HSYA), is the major active component of the flower and has potent and important antioxidative effects in vitro [ 7 , 8 ], an enormous antagonistic impact on platelet activating factor receptor [ 9 ] and vascular dementia [ 10 ], and an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation, tumor angiogenesis, thrombosis and oxidative stress [ 11 , 12 ]. In China, HSYA has been used clinically in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with traumatic brain injuries [ 13 ].…”

The effect of &lt;italic&gt;Scutellaria baicalensis&lt;/italic&gt; stem-leaf flavonoids on spatial learning and memory in chronic cerebral ischemia-induced vascular dementia of rats

“…Flavonoid compounds have been found to attenuate learning and memory impairment and improve cognitive function in AD model [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. In addition to the direct interference with the generation and assembly of Aβ peptides into neurotoxic oligomeric aggregates or regulation of prosurvival transcription factors in the brain [12][13][14][15], flavonoids encourage beneficial effects on the vascular system [16].…”

Protective Effects of Tao-Hong-Si-Wu Decoction on Memory Impairment and Hippocampal Damage in Animal Model of Vascular Dementia

“…TSD consisted of six crude extracts. These combinations contain more than 30 major active compounds such as ligustilide [ 26 ], ferulic acid [ 27 ], and safflower yellow [ 28 ], which are known to be effective as memory-improving therapeutic agents. However, herb combinations may not only act synergistically with other constituents from the same herb but may also enhance the activity of or counteract toxic effects of compounds [ 29 ].…”