Research progress on pharmacological effect of Salvianolic acid for injection in post-stroke depression

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common affective disorders after acute cerebrovascular injury. It significantly increases the mortality, disability rate and recurrence rate of stroke, which places a heavy burden on families and society. The etiology of PSD is not yet clear, involving a series of complex mechanisms. Inflammatory response, apoptosis, neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitters and many others may play important roles, and there is no effective treatment. Salvianolic acid for injection (SAFI) has the functions of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptotic and can improve depressive behavior. It is expected to become a new antidepressant for the treatment of PSD.

Protection of Salvianolate Lyophilized Injection combined with Xueshuantong Injection (Lyophilized) against focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats through suppression of inflammatory response

Objective： Inflammatory reactions induced by microglia in the brain play an important part in the pathogenesis of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion （I/R） injury, resulting in neuronal death. Salvianolate Lyophilized Injection （SLI） and Xueshuantong Injection （Lyophilized） （XST）, which have been widely used in the treatment of acutely cerebral infarction clinically in China, exhibit various biological activities. In this study, the neuroprotective properties of SLI combined with XST in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion- reperfusion （MCAO/R） were investigated. Methods： In this study, male Wistar rats were subjected to 1.5h of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion for 24 h. The rats were randomly divided into the following six groups： normal group （NOR）, model group （MOD）, SLI group （21 mg/kg, SLI）, ）（ST group （100 mg/kg, ）（ST）, SLI combined with XST （XST 100 mg/kg ＋ SLI 21 mg/kg, 1X1S）, and Edaravone （as a positive control drug, 6 mL/kg, EDI）, once a day for 3 d. The neuronal injury, the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP） and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 （IBA-1）, and the changes of pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin- 6 （IL-6）, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α） and anti-inflammatory mediator interleukin-10 （IL-10） were observed. Results： 1X1S treatment significantly increased the number of neuron, compared with the MOD group, SH group and XST group. Gliosis （GFAP and IBA-1） and expression of pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6 and TNF-a were significantly reduced. Meanwhile, 1XIS significantly increased the expression of anti- inflammatory mediator IL-10 in the brains of MCAO/R rats, compared with the MOD group, SLI and XST groups. SLI and XST also remarkably down-regulated the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α compared with the MOD group. Conclusions： This study shows that SLI combined with XST （1X1S） can protect cerebral ischemia- reperfusion injury due to its anti-inflammatory property, and may provide a potential promising new therapeutic strategy for acute ischemic stroke.