UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-Based Serum Metabolomics Reveals the Anti-Ischemic Stroke Mechanism of Nuciferine in MCAO Rats

Abstract

Nuciferine is an aporphine alkaloid monomer that is extracted from the leaves of the lotus species Nymphaea caerulea and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Nuciferine was reported to treat cerebrovascular diseases. However, the potential mechanism of the neuroprotective effects of nuciferine at the metabolomics level is still not unclear. The present research used neurological score, infarct volume, cerebral water content, and ultraperformance liquid chromatography to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS)-based serum metabolomics to elucidate the anti-ischemic stroke effect and mechanisms of nuciferine. The results showed that nuciferine significantly improved neurological deficit scores and ameliorated cerebral edema and infarction. Multivariate data analysis methods were used to examine the differences in serum endogenous metabolism between groups, and the biomarkers of nuciferine on ischemic stroke were identified. Approximately 19 metabolites and 7 metabolic pathways associated with nuciferine on treatment of stroke were found, which indicated that nuciferine exerted a positive therapeutic action on cerebral ischemic by regulating metabolism. These results provided some data support for the study of anti-stroke effect of nuciferine from the perspective of metabolomics.

Synergic Neuroprotection Between Ligusticum Chuanxiong Hort and Borneol Against Ischemic Stroke by Neurogenesis via Modulating Reactive Astrogliosis and Maintaining the Blood–Brain Barrier

“…MCAO rat is a widely used animal model of ischemic stroke because it may produce similar pathological changes to stroke patients in clinic (Wu et al, 2020;Barahimi et al, 2021), and the procedure was similar to previous reports with minor The results of Nestin + cells, Nestin + /DAPI, and Nestin + /BrdU + in the SVZ area (n 3). ## p < 0.01 compared to the sham group; *p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 compared to the model group; & p < 0.05 compared to the LCH + BO group.…”

“…MCAO rat is a widely used animal model of ischemic stroke because it may produce similar pathological changes to stroke patients in clinic ( Wu et al, 2020 ; Barahimi et al, 2021 ), and the procedure was similar to previous reports with minor modifications ( Costa et al, 2016 ; Ma et al, 2016 ). Briefly, the rat was anesthetized with 3% isoflurane in a chamber affiliated to a small animal anesthesia machine (RWD Life Science Co., LTD., China) and maintained with 1.5% isoflurane delivered through a face mask fitting the rat’s head.…”

Natural Aporphine Alkaloids with Potential to Impact Metabolic Syndrome

“…Nuciferine is reported to have neuroprotective and therapeutic effects in cerebrovascular diseases. Nuciferine significantly improves the neurological deficit score and ameliorates cerebral edema and infarction in middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced strokes of rats, showing its anti-stroke effect [ 72 ]. Furthermore, multivariate data analysis shows that nuciferine treatment may mediate approximately 19 metabolites and 7 metabolic pathways involved in neuroprotection, anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation to restore metabolic disturbances [ 72 ].…”

“…Nuciferine significantly improves the neurological deficit score and ameliorates cerebral edema and infarction in middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced strokes of rats, showing its anti-stroke effect [ 72 ]. Furthermore, multivariate data analysis shows that nuciferine treatment may mediate approximately 19 metabolites and 7 metabolic pathways involved in neuroprotection, anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation to restore metabolic disturbances [ 72 ]. These observations indicate that nuciferine has a positive therapeutic action on cerebral ischemia, possibly by regulating its metabolism.…”

Isolation and Characterization of Natural Nanoparticles in Naoluo Xintong Decoction and Their Brain Protection Research

“…TCM has been used in treating stroke for over a thousand years and generally has the characteristics of multi-component and multi-target action [ 7 , 8 ]. Using modern analytical methods to clarify the material basis and efficiency mechanism is the focus of TCM research [ 9 , 10 ].…”