[Effects of puerarin on expression of nuclear factor kappaB after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-KB) and the influence of puerarin on it after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats. METHOD: Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by 90 min of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and followed by 2, 6, 12, 24, 72 h reperfusion. Puerarin or saline was intra-peritoneally injected 1h before MCA occlusion and then the drugs were administered once every six hours. The infarct volume and brain edema were determined by TTC stain. Level of NF-kappaB P65 subunit was determined by immunohistochemistry and western blot. RESULT: Immunohistochemistry revealed the translocation of NF-kappaB. A time course of NF-kappaB induction in brain showed that NF-kappaB P65 subunit obviously increased at 6 h, peaked at 24 h and then decreased by 72 h post-reperfusion. Puerarin decreased the level of NF-kappaB at 24, 72 h after reperfusion. There was a decrease trend in brain infarct volume between puerarin and control. CONCLUSION: NF-kappaB is translocated and its level is increased after ischemia-reperfusion. Puerarin may attenuate the ischemia-reperfusion injury through inhibition of NF-kappaB activation.