Neurochemical research
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Neurochemical research · Nov 2016
Baicalein Attenuates Neurological Deficits and Preserves Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity in a Rat Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.
Previous studies have demonstrated that baicalein has protective effects against several diseases, which including ischemic stroke. The effect of baicalein on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and its related mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which baicalein may influence the BBB in a rat model of ICH. ⋯ The protective effect of baicalein on the BBB in ICH rats was possibly invoked by attenuated p-38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation, and decreased activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, which may have suppressed gene transcription, including iNOS, and eventually decreased formation of peroxynitrite (ONOO-). Our results suggest that baicalein exerts a protective effect on BBB disruption in the rat model of ICH. The likely mechanism is via inhibition of MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways, leading to decreased formation of iNOS and ONOO-, thereby improving neurological function.