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A multi‐herbal extract HT047 promotes long‐term functional recovery after focal cerebral ischemia in rats
Author(s) -
Song Jungbin,
Lee Donghun,
Kim YoungSik,
Kim Hyun Soo,
Lee Hyun Jeong,
Lee Seunggyeong,
Lee Sung Hyun,
Kim Hocheol
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.706.6
Subject(s) - medicine , scutellaria baicalensis , neuroprotection , pueraria , stroke (engine) , forelimb , ischemia , herb , pharmacology , decoction , traditional medicine , anesthesia , medicinal herbs , traditional chinese medicine , pathology , mechanical engineering , alternative medicine , anatomy , engineering
HT047 is a multi‐herbal extract consisting of Pueraria lobata root and Scutellaria baicalensis root which have been used to treat stroke in traditional Korean medicine. Since 2000, we screened more than 200 medicinal herb extracts for neuroprotective activities in animal stroke models. Pueraria lobata root and Scutellaria baicalensis root were identified as the most potent extracts in this screen and neuroprotective activities of individual herb were further enhanced by the cotreatment. Recently, bioactive constituents of HT047 have been reported to increase the expression of trophic factors in ischemic brain such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that are crucial for enhancing neurorestoration, leading to functional recovery after stroke. In the present study, we investigated the effects of delayed HT047 treatment on long‐term motor recovery after cerebral ischemia in rats. Sprague‐Dawley rats were subjected to 60 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). HT047 was orally administered to rats for consecutive 14 days at a dose of 300 mg/kg starting 24 h after MCAO and then rats were received chow diet containing 1.35 % HT047 up to 6 months. Long‐term functional outcomes were assessed by the rotarod test and the forelimb placing test during subacute (weekly intervals for one month) and recovery (monthly intervals up to 6 months) phases. HT047 accelerated recovery of rotarod performance during a subacute period and protected age‐related decline during a chronic recovery phase. The forelimb placing scores of HT047 group were significantly higher than those of control group during the whole testing period. These findings indicate that delayed HT047 treatment initiated at 24 h after stroke accelerates the recovery of motor function followed by sustained enhancement during a recovery phase. The enhancement of neurorestorative events including angiogenesis, dendritic branching, synaptogenesis, and axonal sprouting may contribute to the therapeutic benefits of HT047 in the treatment of stroke. Support or Funding Information This study was supported by a grant of the Korean Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI15C0051).