Angelica gigas root ameliorates ischaemic stroke-induced brain injury in mice by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK pathways

Abstract

Context Traditionally, the root of Angelica gigas Nakai (Umbelliferae), has long been used to treat ischaemic diseases and is considered safe in humans. Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effects of a methanol extract of A. gigas root (AGmex) on the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced brain injury in mice, and the underlying mechanisms. Materials and methods Two hours of transient MCAO (tMCAO) was induced in C57BL/6 mice (MCAO control group and AGmex groups), AGmex was administered to the AGmex group at 300-3,000 mg/kg bw at 1, 1, and 24 h before tMCAO or at 1000 mg/kg bw at 1 h before and after tMCAO. Infarction volumes, tissue staining, and western blotting were used to investigate the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effects of AGmex. Results The median effective dose (ED 50 ) could not be measured because the AGmex treatment did not reduce the infarction volume caused by 2 h of tMCAO to within 50%; however, pre-treatment with AGmex twice at 1,000 mg/kg bw before tMCAO significantly reduced the infarction volumes. The proteins related to cell growth, differentiation, and death were upregulated by this treatment, and the major recovery mechanisms appeared to involve the attenuation of the mitochondrial function of Bcl-2/Bax and activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK signalling pathways in ischaemic neurons. Conclusions This study provides evidence supporting the use of A. gigas root against ischaemic stroke and suggests a novel developmental starting point for the treatment of ischaemic stroke.

A Comparative Study to Examine the Effects of Topical Vinpocetine and Tacrolimus on Induced Atopic Dermatitis in Mice.

“…(30) These findings suggest that vehicle treatment does not significantly affect the pathological and immunological changes in atopic dermatitis, and highlight the importance of using appropriate control groups in preclinical studies. (31) There were however significant differences in parakeratosis and inflammation, The vehicle-treated group had a lower degree of parakeratosis and inflammation as compared to the untreated group caused by atopic dermatitis. However, it should be noted that the vehicle-treated group still had higher levels of parakeratosis and inflammation compared to the apparently healthy group.…”

Dexmedetomidine alleviates the hypoxic-ischemic brain damage via miR-20a-5p/methionine adenosyltransferase 2B axis in rat pups

“…found that PI3K mediated transcription of MAT2b [45]. This is in accord with Lee et al .’s findings that an extract of Angelica gigas root has a protective effect on reducing apoptosis and activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in ischemic neurons [46]. In future studies, we will extend our efforts to direct to whether DEX exerts neuroprotective effects by activating ERK or PI3K-related pathways.…”

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Post-stroke Sleep Disorders: The Evidence Mapping of Clinical Studies

“…Regarding the types of CHM used for post-stroke insomnia, the evidence map identified some Chinese patent drugs that were not commonly used for primary insomnia, such as Yangxueqingnao granule. Its main ingredients, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong , and Caulis Spatholobi , have been shown to improve cerebral ischemia in laboratory experiments ( 55 – 57 ), which suggests that the selection of CHM for post-stroke insomnia is probably based on its pharmacological actions in ameliorating ischemic impairments. This differs greatly from the therapeutic principles of CHM for primary insomnia ( 43 ).…”