Effects of spiramine T on antioxidant enzymatic activities and nitric oxide production in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion gerbils

Brain Res. 2002 Jul 19;944(1-2):205-9. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(02)02892-5.

Abstract

Spiramine T, an atisine-type diterpene alkaloid isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Spiraea japonica var. acuta (Rosaceae), was shown to have neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. In this study, the effects of spiramine T on antioxidant enzymes and nitric oxide production were evaluated in gerbils subjected to global forebrain ischemia (10 min) and reperfusion (5 days). Spiramine T (1.0 and 2.0 mg kg(-1) i.p.) markedly reduced the content of lipid peroxide (LPO), increased the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity, and inhibited the increase of nitric oxidase (NOS) activity and nitric oxide production in the cortex during ischemia-reperfusion in gerbils. These results suggested that the neuroprotective effects of spiramine T were related to modulation of endogenous antioxidant enzymatic activities and reduction of the formation of nitric oxide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy*
  • Brain Ischemia / enzymology
  • Brain Ischemia / physiopathology
  • Catalase / drug effects
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects*
  • Cerebral Cortex / enzymology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Gerbillinae
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / drug effects*
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / pharmacology*
  • Lipid Peroxides / metabolism
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / enzymology
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / drug effects
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology
  • Reperfusion Injury / drug therapy*
  • Reperfusion Injury / enzymology
  • Reperfusion Injury / physiopathology
  • Superoxide Dismutase / drug effects
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings
  • Lipid Peroxides
  • spiramine T
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Catalase
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Glutathione