Effect of borneol and electroacupuncture on the distribution of hyperforin in the rat brain

Hyperforin is an antidepressant drug that has unstable therapeutic effects,due to its poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.Borneol and electroacupuncture have both been found to increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier.As such,the current study examined the distribution of hyperforin in the rat brain,and the effects on the brain distribution of hyperforin of borneol alone (orally administered),and borneol combined with electroacupuncture treatment.High-performance liquid chromatography technology and pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that treatment with borneol alone (300,600 mg/kg) increased peak concentration and the area under the curve for hyperforin in the brain.In addition,the bioavailability of hyperforin in rat brain increased by 42.7%.However,increasing the dose of borneol dose did not appear to increase the distribution of hyperforin in the brain.Importantly,applying electroacupuncture at Baihui (GV 20) or Yamen (GV 15) appeared to enhance the brain-delivery effects of borneol,although this effect was weak.Overall,our results indicated that borneol alone or combined with electroacupuncture can provide promising strategies for brain-targeted delivery in central nervous system therapy.