Mechanisms underlying attenuation of apoptosis of cortical neurons in the hypoxic brain by lfavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi

• Published in: 中国神经再生研究（英文版） no. 17; pp. 1592 - 1598
• Main Authors: Guangxin Miao, Hongxiang Zhao, Ke Guo, Jianjun Cheng, Shufeng Zhang, Xiaofeng Zhang, Zhenling Cai, Hong Miao, Yazhen Shang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengde Medical College/Key Subject Construction Project of Hebei Provincial College/Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research and Development, Chengde, Hebei Province, China%Department of Anesthesiology, Afifliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei Province, China 2014
• Subjects: brain injury; Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi; neural regeneration; Na+-K+-ATPase; apoptosis; nerve regeneration; flavonoids; oxidative stress; potassium cyanide
• ISSN: 1673-5374
• DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.141784

Flavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, an antioxidant, marked-ly improve memory impairments and neuronal injuries. In the present study, primary cortical neurons of rats were exposed to potassium cyanide to establish a model of in vitro neural cell apoptosis. Inhibition of apoptosis by lfavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baical-ensis Georgi at concentrations of 18.98, 37.36, and 75.92μg/mL was detected using this model. These lfavonoids dramatically increased cell survival, inhibited cell apoptosis and excessive pro-duction of malondialdehyde, and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and Na+-K+-ATPase in primary cortical neurons exposed to potassium cyanide. The lfavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi were originally found to have a polyhydric structure and to protect against cerebral hypoxia in in vitro and in vivo models, including hypoxia induced by potassium cyanide or cerebral ischemia. The present study suggests that lfavonoids from the stems and leaves of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi exert neuroprotective effects via modulation of oxidative stress, such as malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, gluta-thione peroxidase and Na+-K+-ATPase disorders induced by potassium cyanide.