The Danshen extracts against transient cerebral ischemic damage

Abstract

We observed neuroprotective effects of five major lipophilic diterpenes derived from Danshen (Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza) extract,

 

 

such as cryptotanshinone (CTs), dihydrotanshinone I (DTsI),

tanshinone I (TsI), tanshinone IIA (TsIIA)

and tanshinone IIB (TsIIB), in the hippocampal CA1 region (CA1)

against transient ischemic damage in gerbils.

 

 

These diterpenes were administered 30 min before ischemia–reperfusion and the animals were sacrificed 4 days after ischemia–reperfusion.

 

 

In the vehicle-treated-group, cresyl violet positive (CV+) cells and neuronal nuclei (NeuN)+ neurons were significantly decreased in the CA1. However, in the TsI- and CTs-treated-ischemia-groups, CV+ and NeuN+ neurons were abundant in the CA1. In the other groups, the number of CV+ and NeuN+ neurons was less than the TsI- and CTs-treated-ischemia-groups.

 

 

In addition, gliosis induced by ischemic damage was apparently blocked in the TsI- and CTs-treated-ischemia-groups. These results suggest that TsI and CTs among five major lipophilic diterpenes have strong potentials for neuroprotection against ischemic damage.

 

 

 

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Graphical abstract

Keywords

• Transient cerebral ischemia;
• Hippocampal CA1 region;
• Neuronal death;
• Gliosis;
• Neuroprotection

Corresponding author. Tel.: + 82 33 248 2583.

Corresponding author. Tel.: + 82 33 250 8891; fax: + 82 33 256 1614.

1

Ok Kyu Park and Jung Hoon Choi contributed equally to this article.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.