Research From Xinjiang Medical University Found That Cistanche Has Neuroprotective Functions

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Cerebral ischemia is a common clinical disease, and its incidence is usually closely related to oxygen free radicals, excitatory amino acids, and calcium ions. A study by the Department of Pharmacology of Xinjiang Medical University found that the total glycosides of Cistanche (GCs) can regulate the production and elimination of oxygen free radicals, and have a neuroprotective effect on focal cerebral ischemia injury in rats.

Cistanche has neuroprotective effects

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The researchers used the suture method to block the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in rats to create a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia and observe the effects of large and small doses of GGs on focal ischemia in rats. NBT staining was used to determine the extent of cerebral infarction, and the percentage of infarct tissue in the mass of the contralateral brain was calculated by the "weight area method" as a judgment of the infarct size. The behavior index was scored using an 11-point scoring system, and the anti-oxidation of ischemic brain tissue was measured. Enzyme activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The results found that GCs125,250 mg/kg can significantly reduce the scope of cerebral infarction, improve neurological symptoms, and significantly increase the activities of brain tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). The MDA content decreased significantly. It shows that GCs have a neuroprotective effect on focal cerebral ischemia injury in rats, and this effect may be related to the increase of SOD and GSH-Px activity levels.

According to the researchers, cerebral ischemia is more common in stroke patients and the most common site of human ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery and its branches. Ischemic injury model, to study the effect of GCs on the cerebral ischemic injury. Results It was observed that all rats had neurological symptoms at 12 and 24 hours after the operation, and obvious infarcts appeared in the brain tissue. The ischemia was particularly obvious at 24 hours, indicating that the model was successfully prepared.

Oxygen-free radicals play an important role in cerebral ischemia injury. The production and removal of oxygen free radicals in the normal body are in a dynamic balance. When cerebral ischemia, the defense system is damaged, the production of oxygen free radicals increases and the biological membranes are attacked, lipid peroxidation occurs, the polyvalent unsaturated fatty acids are destroyed, and toxic intermediate products are generated. (Such as lipid hydroperoxide) and the final product malondialdehyde. Malondialdehyde can cross-link the amino groups on proteins and phospholipids, reduce membrane fluidity, cause cell deformation and impair function.

The total glycosides of Cistanche GCs have been confirmed to have antioxidant effects, including anti-lipid peroxidation, scavenging superoxide anions, inhibiting and scavenging hydroxyl free radicals. This experiment measured the changes of SOD and GSH-Px activity in rats with cerebral ischemia. The results showed that at 24 hours of cerebral ischemia, the activity of SOD in brain tissue was significantly reduced, GSH-Px did not change much, and the content of MDA was significantly increased. And GCs can significantly improve the neurological symptoms of rats, reduce the scope of cerebral infarction, increase the activity of SOD, GSH-Px, and reduce the content of MDA. It indicates that the neuroprotective effect of Cistanche glycosides GCs may be accomplished by increasing the activity of brain tissue antioxidant enzymes, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, thereby protecting brain tissue from ischemic damage. The antioxidant effect of Cistanche glycosides GCs may be related to the phenolic hydroxyl group contained in the structure, and the specific mechanism needs to be further studied.

Cistanche can improve learning and memory