Puerarin decreases hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha in the hippocampus of vascular dementia rats

• Published in: Neural regeneration research Vol. 7; no. 6; pp. 421 - 425
• Main Authors: Wu, Haiqin, Wang, Huqing, Zhang, Bei, Zhang, Guilian, Zhang, Ru, Zhang, Lingfeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd 25.02.2012; Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Ataxia; Carotid arteries; Cytoplasm; Dementia; Drug dosages; Dyskinesia; Hypoxia; Ischemia; Medical research; Memory; Research and Report: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Neuroregeneration; China; puerarin; endothelial nitric-oxide synthase; vascular dementia; hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha; erythropoietin
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.06.003

In this study, a rat vascular dementia model was established by permanent bilateral common carotid arterial occlusion. Rats were intraperitoneally injected with puerarin 3 days before modeling, for 45 successive days. Results demonstrated that in treated animals hippocampal structures were clear, nerve cells arranged neatly, and cytoplasm was rich in Nissl bodies. The number of cells positive for hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha, erythropoietin and endothelial nitric oxide synthase was reduced; and the learning and memory abilities of rats were significantly improved. Our experimental findings indicate that puerarin can significantly improve learning and memory in a vascular dementia model, and that the underlying mechanism may be associated with the regulation of the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha.