Effects of curcumin on NO content and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in brain tissue of mice with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury

[Objective]To study the neuroprotective effects and mechanism of curcumin on mice with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion by analyzing the changes of NO content,Bcl-2 and Bax protein.[Methods]Kunming male healthy mice(n=180) were divided into sham-operated group(group A),Solvent control group(group B),curcumin treatment group(group C) randomly.After ischemia and reperfusion,all groups were divided into 3 h,6 h,24 h,48 h and 72 h subgroups.The mouse models of focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion were established by suture method.The neurological score of each group was estimated at 24 h.The histopathologic changes were observed by the HE staining method.The NO level wasdetected by the method of nitric acid reductase.Immunochemistry was used to evaluate the expression level of Bcl-2,Bax.[Results]The neurological score in group B was significantly higher than that of group A.While in group C it was significantly different with group B(P0.05).The content of NO was significantly different between group A and B group at 3 h,6 h and 24 h(P0.05).While there were significant differences between C group and B group at 6 h and 24 h(P0.05).The Bcl-2 and Bax expression were increased,while Bcl-2/Bax was decreased in group B.In group C,Bcl-2 expression was obviously increased,and Bax expression was reduced.[Conclusion]Curcumin has neuroprotective effect on mice with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.Its mechanism might be that the decreasing of expression of NO content and Bax increasing results in inhibition of Bax protein expression and decreased apoptosis and then lead to reduction of delayed neuronal damage after cerebral ischemia.