Osthole attenuates early brain injury following subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats

Osthole has been suggested to confer protective effects against cerebral ischemia; however, it is unclear whether osthole confers protection against early brain injury following subarachnoid hemorrhage. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of osthole on early brain injury in rats after SAH. Osthole was administered i.p. at 40 mg/kg 30 min and 6 h after the induction of SAH. Brain samples were extracted at 48 h after SAH. Neurological score, brain water content, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity were evaluated after SAH. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) after 48 h of SAH were assessed to investigate its anti-oxidative effect. In addition, neuronal apoptosis was also assessed using Western blot to show the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and active caspase-3. Our results suggested that treatment with osthole markedly ameliorated neurological deficits, brain edema, BBB impairment, and neuronal apoptosis. In conclusion, post-SAH osthole administration may attenuate EBI. And anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects of osthole may contribute to its beneficial effect against EBI after SAH.