Neuroprotective Effects Of Nitraria Tangutorun Bobr. Extract Against Cerebral Ischemia Injury By Reducing Oxidative Stress And Inflammatory Responses

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIschemic stroke is a dynamic and complicated disease caused by several injury-related factors and segments.Stroke is the leading cause of disability,and its treatment is a major concern worldwide.The treatment of ischemic stroke has been unsatisfactory,and the preventive measure of neuroprotective agents related to ischemic stroke has received immense attention.Due to improved therapeutic efficacy and fewer side effects,traditional foods and drugs may be an effective alternative to neuroprotective therapy for ischemic stroke.Nitraria tangutorun Bobr.has been used for thousands of years as a native folk medicine to alleviate dizziness and neurasthenia due to oxygen.Its fruits and seeds are rich in anthocyanins,flavonoids,phenols,quercetin and polysaccharides,showing strong antioxidant and anti-fatigue activities.Its products are of great interest because the fruit may serve as a low-cost source of some unique bioactive ingredients.Our previous study isolated natural antioxidant ingredients(namely,NJBE)using a simultaneous microwave/ultrasonicassisted enzymatic extraction method from the fruit of Nitraria tangutorun Bobr.Aim of the studyThis study evaluated the neuroprotective effects and underlying mechanisms of the natural antioxidant constituents(i.e.,NJBE)isolated from the fruit of Nitraria tangutorun Bobr.Materials and methodsThe present study examined the effect of NJBE on MCAO(middle cerebral artery occlusion)in mice and its possible mechanisms.Simultaneously,four groups were set up,including sham operation group,sham operation+NJBE administration group(C57BL/6 mice received NJBE 50 mg/kg gavage for 14 days+3 days),MCAO group,and MCAO +NJBE Dosing group(animals received NJBE 50 mg/kg gavage for 14 days followed by right middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by three days of occlusion).Following administration,the mice’s behavior was evaluated(m NSS,corner test,forelimb placement test)to determine the effect of NJBE on the behavior of MCAO mice.TTC staining was performed on brain tissue to determine the infarct size.It was also used to examine oxidative stress indicators such as malondialdehyde(MDA),NO(nitric oxide)dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and glutathione peroxidase(GPx).The blood of mice was collected for testing,and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6 was analyzed using ELISA.ResultTTC results showed that NJBE could significantly reduce the infarct size following MCAO.The results of mouse behavioral studies(improving neurological function score,forelimb placement test,and corner test)indicate that NJBE can improve neurological deficits to a certain extent.The analysis of blood biochemical indicators revealed that NJBE could regulate oxidative stress indicators in MCAO mice,preventing the increase of MDA and NO.Meanwhile,NJBE reduced SOD,CAT,and GPx in the ischemic brain.ELISA was used to detect immunopro-inflammatory factors,and the results showed that NJBE could reduce the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6 in MCAO mice.ConclusionThe above findings suggest that the neuroprotective effect of NJBE in MCAO model.Its neuroprotective effects were evident from the significant improvement in neurological deficits and cerebral infarction size,which were attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.The neuroprotective nature of NJBE provides evidence for its proposed application in the treatment of focal brain ischemia.