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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Rhein exhibits antioxidative effects similar to Rhubarb in a rat model of traumatic brain injury

Authors: Xia Xu, Huiying Lv, Zian Xia, Rong Fan, Chunhu Zhang, Yang Wang, Dongsheng Wang

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

The brain is secondarily harmed by pathological, physiological, and biological reactions that are caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rhein, a significant composition of Rhubarb, is a well-known traditional Chinese treatment method and has a strong oxidation-resisting characteristic, but Rhein’s mechanism remains unclear.

Methods

This study aimed to identify Rhein in the brain tissues of TBI model of rats, and confirm whether Rhein induced an antioxidative effect similar to its parent medicine, Rhubarb. First, the ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was applied to identify Rhein in the brain tissue of the controlled cortical impact (CCI) rats after intra-gastric administration of Rhubarb. Further, for the purpose of calculating the oxidant stress of the CCI rats, the malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione disulfide (GSSG), as well as the proportion of glutathione (GSH)/GSSG were measured in the brain tissues.

Results

The results showed that Rhein was absorbed in the brain tissues of CCI rats. Rhubarb and rhein elevated the SOD, CAT activities, GSH level, and GSH/GSSG ratio, and diminished the MDA and GSSG levels.

Conclusion

The data demonstrated that Rhubarb and Rhein had the potential to be used as a neuroprotective drug for TBI, and that Rhein induced an antioxidative effect similar to its parent medicine, Rhubarb.
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Metadata
Title
Rhein exhibits antioxidative effects similar to Rhubarb in a rat model of traumatic brain injury
Authors
Xia Xu
Huiying Lv
Zian Xia
Rong Fan
Chunhu Zhang
Yang Wang
Dongsheng Wang
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1655-x

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