Effect of tetrandrine on neutrophilic recruitment response to brain ischemia/reperfusion.

AIM: To investigate the effect of tetrandrine (Tet) on neutrophilic recruitment response to bain ischemia/reperfusion (I/R).

METHODS: Middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemia (2 h)/reperfusion model was built on rats (male). Brain water content, neutrophilic recruitment, the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA and activation of NF-kappaB in cellular nucleus after brain I/R were measured with dry-wet weight, 51Cr-labeled neutrophil, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, respectively.

RESULTS: Brain water and neutrophilic recruitment were parallelly increased from 3 h to 24 h after reperfusion (P < 0.01). The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was detected at 1 h after reperfusion (P < 0.01), increased to the highest peak at 12 h (P < 0.01), and at 24 h decreased to level at 3 h. The activation of NF-kappaB was detected at 0.5 h after reperfusion (P < 0.01), increased to the highest peak at 6 h (P < 0.01), and at 24 h decreased to level at 1 h. Tet 10 and 20 mg/kg decreased brain water content, neutrophilic recruitment, the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA, and the activation of NF-kappaB at 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h after reperfusion.

CONCLUSION: Tet inhibited neutrophilic recruitment, expression of ICAM-1 mRNA, and activation of NF-kappaB after brain I/R.