The role of Rho/Rho-kinase pathway and the neuroprotective effects of fasudil in chronic cerebral ischemia

The Rho/Rho-kinase signaling pathway plays an important role in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, very few studies have examined in detail the changes in the Rho/Rho-kinase signaling pathway in chronic cerebral ischemia. In this study, rat models of chronic cerebral ischemia were established by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion and intra- gastrically administered 9 mg/kg fasudil, a powerful ROCK inhibitor, for 9 weeks. Morris water maze results showed that cognitive impairment progressively worsened as the cerebral ischemia proceeded. Immunohistochemistry, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analysis showed that the expression levels of Rho-kinase, its substrate myosin-binding subunit, and its relat- ed protein alpha smooth muscle actin, significantly increased after chronic cerebral ischemia. TUNEL staining showed that chronic cerebral ischemia could lead to an increase in neuronal apoptosis, as well as the expression level of caspase-3 in the frontal cortex of rats subjected to chronic cerebral ischemia. Fasudil treatment alleviated the cognitive impairment in rats with chronic cerebral ischemia, and decreased the expression level of Rho-kinase, myosin-binding subunit and alpha smooth muscle actin. Furthermore, fasudil could regulate cerebral injury by reducing cell apoptosis and decreasing caspase-3 expression in the frontal cortex. These findings demonstrate that fasudil can protect against cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral ischemia via the Rho/Rho-kinase signaling pathway and anti-apoptosis mechanism.

Aerobic exercise combined with huwentoxin-I mitigates chronic cerebral ischemia injury

Ca2＋ channel blockers have been shown to protect neurons from ischemia, and aerobic exercise has significant protective effects on a variety of chronic diseases. The present study injected huwentoxin-I （HWTX-I）, a spider peptide toxin that blocks Ca2＋ channels, into the caudal vein of a chronic cerebral ischemia mouse model, once every 2 days, for a total of 15 injections. During this time, a subgroup of mice was subjected to treadmill exercise for 5 weeks. Results showed amelioration of cortical injury and improved neurological function in mice with chronic cerebral ischemia in the HWTX-I ＋ aerobic exercise group. The combined effects of HWTX I and exercise were superior to HWTX-I or aerobic exercise alone. HWTX-I effectively activated the Notch signal transduction pathway in brain tissue. Aerobic exercise up-regulated synaptophysin mRNA expression. These results demonstrated that aerobic exercise, in combination with HWTX-I, effectively relieved neuronal injury induced by chronic cerebral ischemia via the Notch signaling pathway and promoting synaptic regeneration.

Changes of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling and the effect of cilostazol in chronic cerebral ischemia

Hypoxiainducible factor1 and its specific target gene heme oxygenase1, are involved in acute cerebral ischemia. However, very few studies have examined in detail the changes in the hy poxiainducible factor1/heme oxygenase1 signaling pathway in chronic cerebral ischemia. In this study, a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia was established by permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, and these rats were treated with intragastric cilostazol （30 mg/kg） for 9 weeks. Morris water maze results showed that cognitive impairment gradually worsened as the cerebral ischemia proceeded. Immunohistochemistry, semiquantitative PCR and western blot analysis showed that hypoxiainducible factorla and heme oxygenase1 expression levels in creased after chronic cerebral ischemia, with hypoxiainducible factorla expression peaking at 3 weeks and heme oxygenase1 expression peaking at 6 weeks. These results suggest that the elevated levels of hypoxiainducible factorla may upregulate heine oxygenase1 expression fol lowing chronic cerebral ischemia and that the hypoxiainducible factor1/heme oxygenase1 sig naling pathway is involved in the development of cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral ischemia. Cilostazol treatment alleviated the cognitive impairment in rats with chronic cerebral ischemia, decreased hypoxiainducible factorla and heme oxygenase1 expression levels, and reduced apoptosis in the frontal cortex. These findings demonstrate that cilostazol can protect against cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral ischemic injury through an antiapoptotic mechanism.

Neuroprotective effects of kaempferol against 2VO-induced chronic cerebral ischemia in rats

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of kaempferol(KAE)on chronic cerebral ischemia in rats.METHODS Chronic cerebral ischemia was induced in rats by permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries(2VO).Then,the rats with chronic cerebral ischemia were randomly divied into three groups:model group,KAE 10 and 30 mg·kg-1group.Another group rats without occlusion of common carotid arteries were used as the sham-operation group.Memory behavior was investigated by Morris water maze test.Prehensile ability was investigated by prehensile traction test.The structure of hippocampus and cortex neurons was observed with Nissel staining.In addition,the SOD activity and MDA content in brain tissue were determined.The DJ-1protein level was determined by Western blotting.RESULTS KAE 10 and 30 mg·kg-1could significantly improve cognitive impairment and prehensile traction ability(P<0.01)induced by chronic cerebral ischemia in rats.The results of the pathological analysis also suggested that KAE could ameliorate the pathological damage induced by chronic cerebral ischemia.In addition,KAE 30 mg·kg-1significantly increased the activity of SOD(P<0.05),but had no effect on the content of MDA in rat brain tissue.Western-blotting confirmed that KAE 10 and30 mg·kg-1could increase the expression of anti-oxidation proteins DJ-1 in hippocampus(P<0.01).CONCLUSION KAE may attenuate the chronic cerebral ischemic injury in rats.

Effects of chronic peripheral pretreatment with an angiotensin II type-1 receptor blocker on apoptosis-related molecules in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Chronic systemic treatment with blockers of angiotensin II type-1 （AT1） receptors inhibits ischemia-induced apoptosis and reduces ischemic neuronal damage. However, the molecular mechanisms of AT1 receptor blockers in modulating neuronal apoptosis remain poorly understood. Pretreatment with irbesartan significantly suppressed cell apoptosis at 1-7 days following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and elevated the ratios of Bcl-2/Bax and phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein （pCREB）/CREB in the ischemic cortex at 1 day after reperfusion, as well as suppressing caspase-3 activation. Cerebral ischemia increased the mRNA expression of AT1 and AT2 receptors in the ischemic cortex, whereas irbesartan blocked this increase in AT1 expression but potentiated the expression of AT2. Therefore, this AT1 receptor blocker was neuroprotective by increasing the ratios of Bcl-2/Bax and pCREB/CREB, increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, inhibiting caspase-3 activation, and modulating AT receptor expression.

Estrogen intervention in microvascular morphology and choline acetyltransferase expression in rat hippocampal neurons in chronic cerebral ischemia

We observed dynamic changes in microvessels and a protective effect of estrogen on chronic cerebral ischemia ovariectomized rat models established through permanent occlusion of bilateral carotid arteries at 7, 14 and 21 days. The results revealed that estrogen improved microvasculature in the hippocampus of chronic cerebral ischemic rats, upregulated Bcl-2 protein expression, downregulated Bax protein expression, increased choline acetyltransferase expression in hippocampal cholinergic neurons, and suppressed hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. These findings indicate that estrogen can protect hippocampal neurons in rats with chronic cerebral ischemia.

Curcumin alters expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and nestin following chronic cerebral ischemia

Astrocytes can alter their appearance and become reactive following chronic cerebral ischemia. In the present study, a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia was treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg curcumin. Results showed that pathological changes of neuronal injury in hippocampal CA1 area of rats induced by chronic cerebral ischemia were attenuated, as well as upregulated expression of glial fibriliary acidic protein and nestin, in a dose-dependent manner.

Effect of propofol on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosine kinase receptor B in the hippocampus of aged rats with chronic cerebral ischemia

We intraperitoneally injected 10 and 50 mg/kg of propofol for 7 consecutive days to treat a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia. A low-dose of propofol promoted the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosine kinase receptor B, phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein, and cAMP in the hippocampus of aged rats with chronic cerebral ischemia, but a high-dose of propofol inhibited their expression. Results indicated that the protective effect of propofol against cerebral ischemia in aged rats is related to changes in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosine kinase receptor B in the hippocampus, and that the cAMP-cAMP responsive element binding protein pathway is involved in the regulatory effect of propofol on brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression.

Bumetanide promotes neural precursor cell regeneration and dendritic development in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in the chronic stage of cerebral ischemia

Bumetanide has been shown to lessen cerebral edema and reduce the infarct area in the acute stage of cerebral ischemia. Few studies focus on the effects of bumetanide on neuroprotection and neurogenesis in the chronic stage of cerebral ischemia. We established a rat model of cerebral ischemia by injecting endothelin-1 in the left cortical motor area and left corpus striatum. Seven days later, bumetanide 200 μg/kg/day was injected into the lateral ventricle for 21 consecutive days with a mini-osmotic pump. Results demonstrated that the number of neuroblasts cells and the total length of dendrites increased, escape latency reduced, and the number of platform crossings increased in the rat hippocampal dentate gyrus in the chronic stage of cerebral ischemia. These findings suggest that bumetanide promoted neural precursor cell regeneration, dendritic development and the recovery of cognitive function, and protected brain tissue in the chronic stage of ischemia.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in the hippocampal CA1 region of hyperlipidemic rats with chronic cerebral ischemia

Chronic cerebral ischemia is a pathological process in many cerebrovascular diseases and it is induced by long-term hypedipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. After being fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks, rats were subjected to permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries to establish rat models of chronic cerebral ischemia with hypedipiclemia. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in rat hippocampal CA1 region was determined to better understand the mechanism underlying the effects of hypedipidemia on chronic cerebral ischemia. Water maze test results showed that the cognitive function of rats with hyperlipidemia or chronic cerebral ischemia, particulady in rats with hypedipidemia combined with chronic cerebral ischemia, gradually decreased between 1 and 4 months after occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. This correlated with pathological changes in the hippocampal CA1 region as detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Immunohistochemical staining showed that intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in the hippocampal CA1 region was noticeably increased in rats with hyperlipidemia or chronic cerebral ischemia, in particular in rats with hyperlipidemia combined with chronic cerebral ischemia. These findings suggest that hyperlipidemia aggravates chronic cerebral ischemia-induced neurological damage and cognitive impairment in the rat hippocampal CA1 region which may be mediated, at least in part, by up-regulated expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-l.

Hippocampal mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase activity and gene expression in a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia

The present study established a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia using bilateral common carotid artery permanent ligation to analyze cytochrome C oxidase activity and mRNA expression in hippocampal mitochondria. Results showed significantly decreased cytochrome C oxidase activity and cytochrome C oxidase II mRNA expression with prolonged ischemia time. Further analysis revealed five mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase II gene mutations, two newly generated mutations, and four absent mutational sites at 1 month after cerebral ischemia, as well as three mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase III gene mutations, including two newly generating mutations, and one disappeared mutational site at 1 month after cerebral ischemia. Results demonstrated that decreased cytochrome C oxidase gene expression and mutations, as well as decreased cytochrome C oxidase activity, resulting in energy dysmetabolism, which has been shown to be involved in the DatholoQical Process of ischemic brain iniurv.

Effects of CXCR7-neutralizing antibody on neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and cognitive function in the chronic phase of cerebral ischemia

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 and its receptor CXCR4 are essential regulators of the neurogenesis that occurs in the adult hippocampal dentate gyrus.However,the effects of CXCR7,a new atypical receptor of stromal cell-derived factor-1,on hippocampal neurogenesis after a stroke remain largely unknown.Our study is the first to investigate the effect of a CXCR7-neutralizing antibody on neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and the associated recovery of cognitive function of rats in the chronic stage of cerebral ischemia.The rats were randomly divided into sham,sham+anti-CXCR7,ischemia and ischemia+anti-CXCR7 groups.Endothelin-1 was injected in the ipsilateral motor cortex and striatum to induce focal cerebral ischemia.Sham group rats were injected with saline instead of endothelin-1 via intracranial injection.Both sham and ischemic rats were treated with intraventricular infusions of CXCR7-neutralizing antibodies for 6 days 1 week after surgery.Immunofluorescence staining with doublecortin,a marker for neuronal precursors,was performed to assess the neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus.We found that anti-CXCR7 antibody infusion enhanced the proliferation and dendritic development of doublecortin-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus in both ischemic and sham-operated rats.Spatial learning and memory functions were assessed by Morris water maze tests 30-32 days after ischemia.CXCR7-neutralizing antibody treatment significantly reduced the escape latency of the spatial navigation trial and increased the time spent in the target quadrant of spatial probe trial in animals that received ischemic insult,but not in sham operated rats.These results suggest that CXCR7-neutralizing antibody enhances the neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and improves the cognitive function after cerebral ischemia in rats.All animal experimental protocols and procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of China Medical University(CMU16089 R)on December 8,2016.

Treatment with β-sitosterol ameliorates the effects of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by suppressing cholesterol overload, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis

β-Sitosterol is a type of phytosterol that occurs naturally in plants.Previous studies have shown that it has anti-oxidant,anti-hyperlipidemic,anti-inflammatory,immunomodulatory,and anti-tumor effects,but it is unknown whetherβ-sitosterol treatment reduces the effects of ischemic stroke.Here we found that,in a mouse model of ischemic stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion,β-sitosterol reduced the volume of cerebral infarction and brain edema,reduced neuronal apoptosis in brain tissue,and alleviated neurological dysfunction;moreover,β-sitosterol increased the activity of oxygen-and glucose-deprived cerebral cortex neurons and reduced apoptosis.Further investigation showed that the neuroprotective effects ofβ-sitosterol may be related to inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by intracellular cholesterol accumulation after ischemic stroke.In addition,β-sitosterol showed high affinity for NPC1L1,a key transporter of cholesterol,and antagonized its activity.In conclusion,β-sitosterol may help treat ischemic stroke by inhibiting neuronal intracellular cholesterol overload/endoplasmic reticulum stress/apoptosis signaling pathways.

Cav3.2 channel regulates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury:a promising target for intervention

Calcium influx into neurons triggers neuronal death during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Various calcium channels are involved in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Cav3.2 channel is a main subtype of T-type calcium channels.T-type calcium channel blockers,such as pimozide and mibefradil,have been shown to prevent cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced brain injury.However,the role of Cav3.2 channels in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury remains unclear.Here,in vitro and in vivo models of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were established using middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice and high glucose hypoxia/reoxygenation exposure in primary hippocampal neurons.The results showed that Cav3.2 expression was significantly upregulated in injured hippocampal tissue and primary hippocampal neurons.We further established a Cav3.2 gene-knockout mouse model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Cav3.2 knockout markedly reduced infarct volume and brain water content,and alleviated neurological dysfunction after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Additionally,Cav3.2 knockout attenuated cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced oxidative stress,inflammatory response,and neuronal apoptosis.In the hippocampus of Cav3.2-knockout mice,calcineurin overexpression offset the beneficial effect of Cav3.2 knockout after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.These findings suggest that the neuroprotective function of Cav3.2 knockout is mediated by calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells 3 signaling.Findings from this study suggest that Cav3.2 could be a promising target for treatment of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Activation of GABAB receptors alleviates depressive-like behavior induced by chronic cerebral ischemia via upredulation of BDNF in rats

Aim To investigate the mechanisms underlying depressive-like behavior induced by chronic cerebral is- chemia in rats. Methods In the present study, a chronic cerebral hypoperfusion model was established by perma- 2VO） in rats. Two weeks after 2VO, GAB- nent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion （two-vessel occlusion, AB receptor agonist baclofen （25 mg · kg^-1 . d^-1 i p ） was administrated for 21 days. The FST was performed to evaluate depressive-like behavior in which the immobility time was recorded. In addition, the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） in hippocampal CA1 was measured by Western blot. Results The immobility time of 2VO group was significantly prolonged and the expression of BDNF was decreased by 28.95% compared with sham group. After activation of GABAB receptors by baclofen, the immobility time was significantly reduced and the expression of BDNF was increased by 47.91% compared with 2VO group. Conclusion 2VO induced ob- vious depressive-like behavior in rats. Activation of GABAB receptors alleviates the depressive-like behavior in- duced by chronic cerebral ischemia via upredulation of BDNF in hippocampal CA1 in rats.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR113 alleviates microbiota dysbiosis of tongue coating and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.However,information on stroke-related tongue coating microbiome(TCM)is limited,and whether TCM modulation could benefit for stroke prevention and rehabilitation is unknown.Here,TCM from stroke patients(SP)was characterized using molecular techniques.The occurrence of stroke resulted in TCM dysbiosis with significantly reduced species richness and diversity.The abundance of Prevotella,Leptotrichia,Actinomyces,Alloprevotella,Haemophilus,and TM7_[G-1]were greatly reduced,but common infection Streptococcus and Pseudomonas were remarkably increased.Furthermore,an antioxidative probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR113 was used for TCM intervention in stroke rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(I/R).AR113 partly restored I/R induced change of TCM and gut microbiota with significantly improved neurological deficit,relieved histopathologic change,increased activities of antioxidant enzymes,and decreased contents of oxidative stress biomarkers.Moreover,the gene expression of antioxidant-related proteins and apoptosis-related factors heme oxygenase-1(HO-1),superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1(NQO-1),and Bcl-2 was significantly increased,but cytochrome C,cleaved caspase-3,and Bax were markedly decreased in the brain by AR113 treatment.The results suggested that AR113 could ameliorate cerebral I/R injury through antioxidation and anti-apoptosis pathways,and AR113 intervention of TCM may have the application potential for stroke prevention and control.

Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction protects against chronic cerebral ischemia injury in rats and profile of differentially expression proteins analysis in hippocampus

OBJECTIVE Vascular dementia(VD) refers to a progressive decline in memory and cognitive function caused by chronic cerebral ischemia.2-Vessels occlusion(2-VO) has been widely used as a model of VD.Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction,a well-known traditional Chinese medicine prescrip.tion,has been widely used to treat stroke and sequelae of stroke.The present study was to investigate the mechanism of Xiao-Xu-Ming decoction(XXM) against chronic cerebral ischemia injury in rats.METHODS After XXM treatment,rats were performed a memory testing with Morris water maze and motor ability testing using prehensile test and inclined screen test.Neuronal plasticity was observed by immunofluorescent staining with MAP2 antibody.Differentially expressed proteins of rat hippocampus were analyzed by Label-free quantitative proteomics.RESULTS XXM significantly alleviated 2-VOinduced learning and memory deficits,motor ability dysfunction,and neuronal plasticity injury in rats.The mechanism might be involved in up-regulation of 39 proteins and down-regulation of 13 proteins in the hippocampus of rats after XXM treatment vs 2-VO group rats.Gene ontology and pathway analysis showed that the regulated proteins are mainly involved in oxidation reduction process,intracellular signaling cascade process,and protein catabolic process,etc.The signal pathways are mainly involved in ubiquitin mediated proteolysis and phosphatidylinositol signaling system.CONCLUSION Current findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of XXM on chronic cerebral ischemia.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury:PERK as a potential target for intervention

Several studies have shown that activation of unfolded protein response and endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress plays a crucial role in severe cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Autophagy occurs within hours after cerebral ischemia,but the relationship between ER stress and autophagy remains unclear.In this study,we established experimental models using oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation in PC12 cells and primary neurons to simulate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.We found that prolongation of oxygen-glucose deprivation activated the ER stress pathway protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)/eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit alpha(e IF2α)-activating transcription factor 4(ATF4)-C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP),increased neuronal apoptosis,and induced autophagy.Furthermore,inhibition of ER stress using inhibitors or by si RNA knockdown of the PERK gene significantly attenuated excessive autophagy and neuronal apoptosis,indicating an interaction between autophagy and ER stress and suggesting PERK as an essential target for regulating autophagy.Blocking autophagy with chloroquine exacerbated ER stress-induced apoptosis,indicating that normal levels of autophagy play a protective role in neuronal injury following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Findings from this study indicate that cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury can trigger neuronal ER stress and promote autophagy,and suggest that PERK is a possible target for inhibiting excessive autophagy in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

A matrix metalloproteinase-responsive hydrogel system controls angiogenic peptide release for repair of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Vascular endothelial growth factor and its mimic peptide KLTWQELYQLKYKGI(QK)are widely used as the most potent angiogenic factors for the treatment of multiple ischemic diseases.However,conventional topical drug delivery often results in a burst release of the drug,leading to transient retention(inefficacy)and undesirable diffusion(toxicity)in vivo.Therefore,a drug delivery system that responds to changes in the microenvironment of tissue regeneration and controls vascular endothelial growth factor release is crucial to improve the treatment of ischemic stroke.Matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)is gradually upregulated after cerebral ischemia.Herein,vascular endothelial growth factor mimic peptide QK was self-assembled with MMP-2-cleaved peptide PLGLAG(TIMP)and customizable peptide amphiphilic(PA)molecules to construct nanofiber hydrogel PA-TIMP-QK.PA-TIMP-QK was found to control the delivery of QK by MMP-2 upregulation after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and had a similar biological activity with vascular endothelial growth factor in vitro.The results indicated that PA-TIMP-QK promoted neuronal survival,restored local blood circulation,reduced blood-brain barrier permeability,and restored motor function.These findings suggest that the self-assembling nanofiber hydrogel PA-TIMP-QK may provide an intelligent drug delivery system that responds to the microenvironment and promotes regeneration and repair after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Neuroprotective effects of saffron on chronic focal cerebral ischemia through inhibiting glial scar formation in rats

OBJECTIVE To explore the neuro-protective effects of saffron(Crocus satius L.) on chronic focal cerebral ischemia in rats.METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:sham control group,MCAO group,edaravone group and saffron 30,100,300 mg·kg^(-1) groups.Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).Saffron was administered orally by once daily from 2 h to 42 d after ischemia.At 42 d after cerebral ischemia,neurological deficit score,spontaneous activity test,elevated plus maze test,marble burying test and novel objective recognition test were used to evaluate the effects of saffron on the behevioural change.Infarct volume,survival neuron density,activated astrocyte number,and the thickness of glial scar were also detected.GFAP expression and inflammatory cytokine contents in ischemic peripheral region were detected by Western blot and ELISA,separately.RESULTS Saffron(100,300 mg·kg^(-1)) improved the body weight decrease,neurological deficit and spontaneous activity.Saffron(30-300 mg · kg^(-1)) increased the traveled distance ratio and total time in open arm,decreased the buried marble number,which indicated that saffron could ameliorate anxiety-and depression-like behaviors.Saffron(100,300 mg·kg^(-1)) improved the learning and memory function,which manifested by increased discrimination ratio(DR) and discrim.ination index(DI) in T2 test.The results of toluidine blue found saffron treatment(100,300 mg · kg^(-1))decreased the infarct volume and increased the neuron density in cortex and hippocampal.The activated astrocyte number,the thickness of glial scar and GFAP expression in ischemic peripheral region decreased after saffron.Saffron(100,300 mg · kg^(-1)) decreased the contents of IL-6 and IL-1β,increased the content of IL-10 in ischemic peripheral region.CONCLUSION Saffron exerted neuro-protective effects on chronic focal cerebral ischemia,which could be related with inhibiting the activation of astrocyte and glial scar,following with the decrease of inflammatory reaction.