Effects of vinpocetine on inflammation of brain in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage

AIM: To investigate the effects of vinpocetine on inflammation of brain in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) rats and to explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: All rats were randomly divided into sham group, ICH group, ICH with low dose of vinpocetine treatment group, ICH with medium dose of vinpocetine treatment group, and ICH with high dose of vinpocetine treatment group. Except sham group, the rats in other groups were injected with type VⅡ collagenase to establish ICH model, and then the rats in vinpocetine treatment groups were received vinpocetine at 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection once a day for 7 days. After corresponding treatment, the impairment of neurological function in the rats was scored and the water content of the brain tissues was measured. Moreover, the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was determined by ELISA, and the protein expression of Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molcule-1 (VCAM-1) in the brain tissues was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with ICH group, vinpocetine treatment significantly decreased the scores of the impairment of neurological function and the water content of the brain tissues. Moreover, the activity of MPO and the protein expression of TLR4, NF-κB, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were also reduced after vinpocetine treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Vinpocetine improves neurological function in ICH rats via suppression of inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB signaling and expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1.