Epimedium Flavonoids Ameliorate Neuropathological Changes and Increases IGF-1 Expression in C57BL/6 Mice Exposed to Cuprizone

The cuprizone (CPZ)-induced toxic demyelinating model, characterized by the degeneration of oligodendrocytes, has been utilized to study multiple sclerosis-related lesions. The present study was designed to determine the effect of epimedium flavonoids (EF), the main component extracted from Epimedium sagittatum, on CPZ-induced neuropathological changes in the corpus callosum of C57BL/6 mice. Once we determined an EF-based protective effect on the corpus callosum, we sought to explore the underlying mechanism of this protection. To induce demyelination, 8-week-old mice were fed with 0.2 % CPZ for a maximum period of 6 weeks. EF treatment for a period of 3 weeks effectively decreased the breakdown of myelin, OL loss, and oligodendrocyte precursor cell accumulation in CPZ-fed mice. In addition, EF administration significantly increased the cortical expression level of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). This study provides the first in vivo evidence of EF-based protection against CPZ-induced neuropathological changes. Furthermore, our study suggests that upregulated IGF-1 may play a role in this protection.