Background: Our previous studies demonstrated that oxysophoridine (OSR) had neuroprotective effects on mice through antioxidant and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. In this study, we investigated whether OSR could influence the release of amino acids in ischemic mice brains.
Materials and methods: Male ICR mice were scheduled to undergo 2 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and 24 h reperfusion. Before MCAO, mice in corresponding groups were intraperitoneally injected with OSR (62.5, 125 and 250 mg/kg) for seven successive days. After reperfusion, neurological scores were estimated, infarct volume and the brain water content were assessed. The levels of glutamate (Glu), aspartate (Asp), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Glycine (Gly) were measured by amino acid analyzer.
Results: OSR significantly decreased neurological scores, reduced infarct volume and the brain water content. After treatment with OSR of 250 mg/kg, the contents of Glu, Asp, GABA and Gly in mice brains could maintain at a normal level compared with MCAO group mice. The Glu/GABA ratio was significantly decreased in OSR group mice.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that OSR has a protective effect on cerebral ischemic injury and helps to maintain the amino acids homeostasis after reperfusion for a long time.
Keywords: Amino acids homeostasis; cerebral ischemic injury; excitatory amino acids; inhibitory amino acids; oxysophoridine.