Berberine Ameliorates Brain Inflammation in Poloxamer 407-Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats

• Published in: International neurourology journal Vol. 23; no. Suppl 2; pp. S102 - 110
• Main Authors: Kim, Mia, Kim, Tae-Woon, Kim, Chang-Ju, Shin, Mal-Soon, Hong, Minha, Park, Hye-Sang, Park, Sang-Seo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Continence Society 01-11-2019; 대한배뇨장애요실금학회
• Subjects: apoptosis; berberine; glial fibrillary acidic protein; hyperlipidemia; iba1; Original; poloxamer; 비뇨기과학; Berberine; Iba1; Hyperlipidemia; Glial fibrillary acidic protein; Poloxamer; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 2093-4777; 2093-6931; 2093-6931
• DOI: 10.5213/inj.1938216.108

Hyperlipidemia, which promotes the development of atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, and other forms of brain injury, can be induced by poloxamer-407. Berberine is a primary pharmacological active component of Coptidis Rhizoma that has a number of therapeutic activities. This study investigated the effects of berberine on poloxamer-407-induced brain inflammation by evaluating its effects on short-term memory, cell proliferation, inflammation, and apoptosis in the hippocampus.
To induce hyperlipidemia in a rat model, 500 mg/kg of poloxamer-407 was injected intraperitoneally. Berberine was orally administered to the rats in the berberine-treated groups once a day for 4 weeks. The step-down task avoidance task was performed to measure short-term memory. An analysis of serum lipids, immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) in the dentate gyrus, and western blot analysis for Bax, Bcl-2, and cytochrome c in the hippocampus were performed.
In hyperlipidemic rats, berberine reduced the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hyperlipidemic rats. Berberine also increased cell proliferation and short-term memory, as well as decreasing the expression of GFAP, Iba1, Bax, and cytochrome c and increasing Bcl-2 expression.
Berberine treatment improved short-term memory in hyperlipidemia by increasing neuronal proliferation and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis. Berberine treatment also improved lipid metabolism.