Assessing Neuroprotective Effects of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Extract Using a Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Mouse Model

Summary

In this study, we modify an existing experimental method to obtain more reproducible results, by establishing a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model. Oral administration of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome (GR) methanol extract (GRex), following stroke induction, significantly decreased total infarction volume relative to the untreated control group.

Abstract

Ischemia followed by reperfusion of cerebral blood flow after a stroke leads to the death of nerve cells and loss of brain tissue. The most commonly used animal model for studying stroke is the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Previous research studies have reported different infarct sizes even when the same experimental animal species was used under similar MCAO conditions. Therefore, we developed an improved experimental method to address this discrepancy. Mice were subjected to MCAO using a filament as the occlusion material to mimic human stroke conditions and filament thickness was optimized to establish more reproducible infarction volume. Mice treated with a methanol extract of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome (GRex) following stroke induction showed a significantly decreased total infarction volume and increased number of surviving cells relative to the untreated control group. This modified experimental protocol successfully and reproducibly demonstrated the beneficial effect of GRex on ischemic stroke.

Introduction

Brain damage caused by ischemia and reperfusion of cerebral blood flow leads to the death of nerve cells and loss of brain tissue. This type of brain damage continues to increase with the increasing prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases due to the spread of metabolic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus^1,2. The absolute number of elderly patients with stroke has dramatically increased worldwide, and the cost of medical care for these patients, who are often left with long-term disabilities, is a major societal burden. Therefore, secondary disabilities should be mitigated as much as po....

Protocol

All procedures involving animals were approved by the ethics committee of Pusan National University (approval number, PNU-2016-1087). A graphical overview of this study is shown in Figure 1.

1. Preparation and Administration of GRex

NOTE: The GR used in this study was purchased from a commercial pharmaceutical company.

1. Place 200 g of GR in 2,000 mL of methanol and incubate at room temperature (25 °C) for 5 days.
2. Filter the mixture using filter paper with 0.26 mm thickness and 5 µm pore size, and then remove the supernatant. Add 1,000 mL of methanol to ....

Results

In the sham-operated normal group, no cerebral infarct is observed whereas in the control group, a relatively wide range of damaged areas is observed. In the mice administered 300 mg/kg GRex in the MCAO model group, a statistically significant reduction in damaged area is observed (Figure 2).

The histological changes are investigated by staining ischemic brain sections with H&E or cresyl violet........

Discussion

With the increasing prevalence of metabolic diseases such as chronic hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, which are major risk factors for stroke, stroke prevention and treatment have become an important area of medical research^12,13. Deficits in language and movement after a stroke are strongly correlated with the degree of damage to brain tissue¹⁴ and result in a poor quality of life for patients and their families

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma	Gwangmyoung Pharmaceuticals Co., Korea		Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma
Qualitative filter paper	Advantec	Filter paper No. 2	Qualitative filter paper
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)	Sigma	D8418-250ML	Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
Syringe filter (0.45 µm)	Sigma	CLS431220	Syringe filter (0.45 µm)
Stereo Microscope	Leica	M50	Stereo Microscope
Stereo Microscope	Nikon	SMZ745	Stereo Microscope
Laser Doppler	Moor Instrument	moorVMS-LDF	Laser Doppler
Anesthesia Tabletop Bracket with N2O&O2 Flowmeter System	Harvard Appratus	34-1352	Anesthesia Tabletop Bracket with N2O&O2 Flowmeter System
Homeothermic Monitoring System	Harvard Appratus	55-7020	Homeothermic Monitoring System
Digital Camera	Canon	Eos-M2	Digital Camera
Cryostat	Leica	CM3050S	Cryostat
Microscope	Carl Zeiss	Zeiss Axio	Microscope
Data Analysis	Systat Software Inc.	SigmaPlot version 12	Data Analysis
Data Analysis	NIH Image	ImageJ	Data Analysis
Mouse diet	Doo Yeol Biotech	Standard rodent chow	Mouse diet
Isoflurane	JOONGWAE	A02104781	Isoflurane
Isoflurane	TROIKAA	ISOTROY 100	Isoflurane
Silk suture (4-0 Black silk)	AILEE	SK47510	Silk suture (4-0 Black silk)
Silk suture (3-0 White silk)	Baekjae	57	Silk suture (3-0 White silk)
Nylon suture (8-0 monofilament)	AILEE	NB825	Nylon suture (8-0 monofilament)
2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)	Sigma	T8877-25G	2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)
Formalin (Formaldehyde solution)	JUNSEI	69360-1263 20KG	Formalin (Formaldehyde solution)
Hematoxylin (Harris Hematoxylin)	YD Diagnostics	EasyStain	Hematoxylin (Harris Hematoxylin)
Eosin (1% Eosin Y Solution)	MUTO PURE CHEMICALS	3200-2	Eosin (1% Eosin Y Solution)
Cresyl violet (acetate)	Sigma	C5042-10G	Cresyl violet (acetate)
Paraformaldehyde	Sigma-Aldrich	P6148-1KG	Paraformaldehyde
Sucrose	JUNSEI	31365-0350 1KG	Sucrose
Optimum cutting temperature (OCT) compound	Scigen	4583	Optimum cutting temperature (OCT) compound
Disecting Knife	Fine Science Tools	10055-12	Disecting Knife
#4 Forcep	Fine Science Tools	11241-30	#4 Forcep
#5 Forcep	Fine Science Tools	11254-20	#5 Forcep
#6 Forcep	Fine Science Tools	11260-20	#6 Forcep
#7 Fine Forcep	Fine Science Tools	11274-20	#7 Fine Forcep
Surgical Scissors	Fine Science Tools	14001-12	Surgical Scissors
Extra Fine Bonn Scissors	Fine Science Tools	14084-08	Extra Fine Bonn Scissors
Moria Pascheff-Wolff Spring Scissors	Fine Science Tools	15371-92	Moria Pascheff-Wolff Spring Scissors
Vessel Dilating Forcep	Fine Science Tools	18153-11	Vessel Dilating Forcep