Scutellaria baicalensis attenuates blood-brain barrier disruption after intracerebral hemorrhage in rats

Am J Chin Med. 2012;40(1):85-96. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X12500073.

Abstract

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) contributes to the inflammatory response and edema formation in the brain, exacerbating brain damage. The present study evaluated the effects of Scutellaria baicalensis (SR) water extracts on BBB disruption after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats. ICH was induced by stereotaxic intrastriatal injection of bacterial type VII collagenase, and SR was administrated orally three times (50 mg/ml/kg) during the 48 h after ICH onset. SR treatment significantly reduced the degree of (1) hemorrhage volume and edema percentage of the ipsilateral hemisphere, (2) brain water content, (3) MPO-positive neutrophil infiltration in the peri-hematoma, and (4) BBB permeability measured by Evans blue leakage. In addition, expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, MMP-12, and tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMP)-1 were investigated with immunohistochemistry. SR treatment reduced MMP-9 and MMP-12 expression in the peri-hematoma after ICH. These results indicate that SR attenuates the BBB disruption through anti-inflammatory effects and suppression of MMP expression. These findings provide a pharmacological basis for the use of SR in the treatment of the BBB disruption following stroke and trauma.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / immunology
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Body Water / metabolism
  • Brain Edema / prevention & control*
  • Brain Injuries / prevention & control
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / drug therapy*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / immunology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / metabolism
  • Collagenases
  • Hematoma / drug therapy
  • Hematoma / metabolism
  • Inflammation / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 12 / metabolism
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / metabolism
  • Neutrophil Infiltration / drug effects
  • Permeability
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Scutellaria baicalensis*
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Scutellaria baicalensis extract
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1
  • Collagenases
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 12