Protective Effects of Salvianolic Acid A Against Impairment of Memory Induced by Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion in Mice

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of Salvianolic acid A against impairment of memory induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in mice and the relationship between antioxidant activity of salvianolic acid A and its protective effects on brain injury caused by reperfusion.

Methods: Step down and step through tests were used to examine the function of memory in the model of impairment of memory induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in mice.

Results: Salvianolic acid A (Sal A) at the dosage of 3 and 10 mg.kg-1 i.v. could improve the impaired memory function induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion as shown in step down and step through tests. In step down tests, the mean number of errors of Sal A 3 and 10 mg.kg-1 treated group were 1.29, 1.15 and that of control group was 3.8 (P < 0.01). The latencies of these tests were longer than those of the control group. Meanwhile, 3 and 10 mg.kg of Sal A i.v. were found to reduce the malondialdehyde contents in the cortex, hippocampus and corpus striatum of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat in vivo. Sal A 10-100 nmol.L-1 was also shown to inhibit lipid-peroxidation of the brain and scavenge the free hydroxyl radicals in vitro.

Conclusion: These indicate that the ameliorating effect of Sal A on learning and memory impairment caused by cerebral ischemia reperfusion may be related to its anti-oxidant activity.