• Shin Bi Oh, Hee Ra Park, Young Jung Jang, Seon Young Choi, Tae Gen Son, and Jaewon Lee.
• Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, and Molecular Inflammation Research Center for Aging Intervention, Pusan National University, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, Korea.
• Br. J. Pharmacol. 2013 Jan 1;168(2):421-31.

Background And PurposeWhole-brain irradiation (WBI) therapy produces learning and memory deficits in patients with brain tumours. Although the pathological cascade of cognitive deficits remains unknown, it may involve reduced neurogenesis within the hippocampus. Baicalein is a flavonoid derived from the roots of Huangqin, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, and has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Here, we have investigated the protective effects of baicalein on irradiation-induced impairments in hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function.Experimental ApproachRadioprotective effects of baicalein were evaluated in C17.2 neural progenitor cells and 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice during hippocampal neurogenesis. Mice were given a single dose of 5 Gy WBI. Changes in hippocampal neurogenesis, oxidative stress and BDNF-pCREB signalling were evaluated. Morris water maze and passive avoidance test were used to assess learning and memory.Key ResultsBaicalein protected neural progenitor cells against irradiation-induced necrotic cell death. Pretreatment with baicalein attenuated the irradiation-induced impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis by modulating oxidative stress and elevating BDNF-pCREB signalling. Furthermore, baicalein prevented the spatial learning and memory retention deficits follwing WBI.Conclusions And ImplicationsOur findings suggest that baicalein can be viewed as a potential therapeutic agent that protects against the impaired neurogenesis induced by WBI, and its neurocognitive consequences.© 2012 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology © 2012 The British Pharmacological Society.

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