A comparative study on the individual and combined effects of baicalin and jasminoidin on focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

To compare the individual effects of baicalin and jasminoidin with the combined effect of them on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, and test whether the combined administration of baicalin and jasminoidin can improve the therapeutic effect. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent focal cerebral ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h. Just before reperfusion, tested drugs (baicalin,jasminoidin, a drug combination consisting of baicalin and jasminoidin, or nimodipine) were intravenously treated. Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), behavior examination, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, histological examination, and real-time PCR for BDNF and caspase-3 were performed. All of the drug treatments could significantly ameliorate the results of TTC and histological examination, and the baicalin/jasminoidin combination did so most prominently. This combination could also significantly ameliorate DWI of MRI and behavior examination results, and promote the expression of BDNF and inhibit the expression of caspase-3. On the whole, both baicalin and jasminoidin have a preventive effect against ischemic stroke, although their effects are not very strong. However, the combination of baicalin and jasminoidin can significantly improve their effectiveness. This may be related to its better regulation on the BDNF and caspase-3. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.