Effects of progesterone on hippocampal ultrastructure and expression of inflammatory mediators in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Progesterone (PROG) has been shown to exhibit a protective function against hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. The aim of the present study was to study the effects of PROG in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. A total of 30 Wistar rats, aged 7 days, were randomly divided into three groups: Sham, model and PROG.

Downregulated RASD1 and upregulated miR-375 are involved in protective effects of calycosin on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion rats.

Isoflavone calycosin is a typical phytoestrogen extracted from Chinese medical herb Radix Astragali. It has been reported that estrogens could provide neuroprotective effects, and dietary intake of phytoestrogens could reduce stroke injury in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) animal models. In the present study, we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of calycosin on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats.

Formononetin protects TBI rats against neurological lesions and the underlying mechanism.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability or death worldwide, especially in the young. Thus, effective medication with few side effects needs to be developed. This work aimed to explore the potential benefits of formononetin (FN) on TBI rodent model and to discuss the regarding mechanism.

Estradiol inhibits the activity of proton-coupled amino acid transporter PAT1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

Estrogen has great potential as a therapeutic agent in focal ischemic brain injury. Amino acids as energy resources and neurotransmitters in the central nervous system are crucial for proper neuronal function and excitability. The proton-coupled amino acid transporter PAT1 has clear potential in drug absorption.

[Effects of peptides originated from the proadrenomedullin on the production of nitric oxide in rat aorta].

Objective: To observe the effect of adrenomedullin (ADM) on the production of nitric oxide (NO) in rat aorta and the effect of Proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) and adrenotensin (ADT) on the ADM-induced NO production.

Methods: Isolated aortic tissues were exposed to ADM, PAMP and ADT for 2 h. The NO production, indicated by nitrite content in the incubated media, and the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the incubated tissues were assayed.

Roles of different peptide fragments derived from proadrenomedullin in the regulation of vascular tone in isolated rat aorta.

The effects of proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) and adrenotensin (ADT) on adrenomedullin (ADM)-induced vasodilation were investigated in aortic rings from rat. ADM (10(-9) to 10(-7)M) relaxed the aorta preconstricted with phenylephrine in a concentration-dependent manner. Denudation of endothelium or pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, L-NAME, attenuated the vasodilatory action of ADM.