Catalpol increases brain angiogenesis and up-regulates VEGF and EPO in the rat after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Abstract

To investigate the role and mechanism of catalpol in brain angiogenesis in a rat model of stroke, the effect of catalpol (5 mg/kg; i.p) or vehicle administered 24 hours after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) on behavior, angiogenesis, ultra-structural integrity of brain capillary endothelial cells, and expression of EPO and VEGF were assessed. Repeated treatments with Catalpol reduced neurological deficits and significantly improved angiogenesis, while significantly increasing brain levels of EPO and VEGF without worsening BBB edema. These results suggested that catalpol might contribute to infarcted-brain angiogenesis and ameliorate the edema of brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) by upregulating VEGF and EPO coordinately.

• Authors: Hui-Feng Zhu, Dong Wan, Yong Luo, Jia-Li Zhou, Li Chen, Xiao-Yu Xu
• Journal: International journal of biological sciences (Int J Biol Sci) Vol. 6 Issue 5 Pg. 443-53 (Aug 20 2010) ISSN: 1449-2288 [Electronic] Australia
• PMID: 20827397 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Iridoid Glucosides
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
• Erythropoietin
• catalpol

Topics

• Animals
• Blotting, Western
• Endothelial Cells (drug effects)
• Erythropoietin (genetics, metabolism)
• Heart (drug effects, physiopathology)
• Immunohistochemistry
• Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery (metabolism, physiopathology)
• Iridoid Glucosides (pharmacology)
• Male
• Myocardium (metabolism, pathology)
• Neovascularization, Physiologic (drug effects)
• Psychomotor Performance (drug effects)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Up-Regulation
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (genetics, metabolism)