Benzoinum from Styrax tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hart exerts a NVU protective effect by inhibiting cell apoptosis in cerebral ischaemia rats

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Benzoinum (Styraceae) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat stroke and other cardio-cerebrovascular diseases for thousands of years. Benzoinum has also proven to have diverse pharmacological activity, but the neuroprotection mechanism of apoptosis in ischaemic stroke was not determined.

Aim of this study: To investigate the protective effect of a neurovascular unit (NVU) and the mechanisms of benzoinum on cerebral ischaemic rats.

Materials and methods: The neuroprotective activity of benzoinum against middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced cerebral ischaemic injury. Neurological scores, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, and hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) staining were conducted to evaluate the neurological damage. Infarction rate and denatured cell index (DCI) were also calculated. The ultrastructure of neuron and blood-brain-barrier (BBB) was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase 3 expression. Furthermore, Claudin 5 also was detected through immunohistochemistry.

Results: Benzoinum could significantly improve neurological function score and reduce cerebral infarction rate and DCI. In addition, benzoinum alleviated pathomorphological change and apoptosis in the brain tissue of MCAO rats. The results of TEM and claudin 5 expression of immunohistochemistry showed that benzoinum could play a neuroprotective effect in NVU. Also, benzoinum-enhanced Bcl2, and reduced Bax and Bax/Bcl-2 and Caspase 3, suggest that benzoinum provided a neuroprotective effect by inhibited cell apoptosis.

Conclusion: Benzoinum could play a neuroprotective role and regulate apoptosis for repair and stabilisation of NVU. This anti-apoptosis activity might be associated with the downregulation of Bax and Caspase 3, and the upregulation of Bcl2. Our present findings provide a promising medication for the treatment of ischaemic stroke.

Keywords: NVU protection; apoptosis; benzoinum; permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion.