Brain research bulletin
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Brain research bulletin · Sep 2012
Anti-nociceptive effects of Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) in a rat model of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain.
Inflammatory pain is an important clinical symptom. The levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and the levels of cytokines such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) play important roles in inflammatory pain. Tanshinone IIA (TIIA) is an important component of Danshen, a traditional Chinese medicine that has been commonly used to treat cardiovascular disease. In this study, we investigated the potential anti-inflammatory nociceptive effects of TIIA on complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation and inflammatory pain in rats. ⋯ This study demonstrated that TIIA has significant anti-nociceptive effects in a rat model of CFA-induced inflammatory pain. TIIA can inhibit the activation of ERK signaling pathways and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that TIIA may be a potential anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive drug.
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Brain research bulletin · Sep 2012
Hydrogen-rich saline protects against oxidative damage and cognitive deficits after mild traumatic brain injury.
Oxidative stress is the principal factor in traumatic brain injury (TBI) that initiates events that result in protracted neuronal dysfunction and remodeling. Importantly, antioxidants can protect the brain against oxidative damage and modulate the capacity of the brain to cope with synaptic dysfunction and cognitive impairment. However, no studies have investigated the effects of hydrogen-rich saline on cognitive deficits after TBI. ⋯ The results showed that hydrogen-rich saline reduced the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and elevated the level of silent information regulator 2 (Sir2). In addition, treatment with hydrogen-rich saline, which elevated the levels of molecules associated with brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF)-mediated synaptic plasticity, improved cognitive performance in the Morris water maze after mild TBI. These results suggest that hydrogen-rich saline can protect the brain against the deleterious effects of mild TBI on synaptic plasticity and cognition and that hydrogen-rich saline could be an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with cognitive deficits after TBI.