Affiliations: [a]
Department of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School & Hospital, Gwangju City, Republic of Korea
| [b]
Department of Rehabilitation Standard & Policy, National Rehabilitation Center Research Institute, Seoul City, Republic of Korea
| [c]
Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dong-Shin University, Naju City, Republic of Korea
| [d]
Department of Sports and Leisure Science, Sunchon National University, Sunchon City, Republic of Korea
| [e]
Department of Physical Education, Chosun University, Gwangju City, Republic of Korea
| [f]
Department of Biochemistry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju City, Republic of Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Sam-Gyu Lee, MD, PhD. Department of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School & Hospital, 42 Jebong-Ro, Dong-Gu, Gwangju, 501-757, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 62 220 5186; Fax: +82 62 228 5975; E-mail: sglee9299@naver.com.
Abstract: Purpose: This study investigated whether (–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can enhance cognition by a neurorestorative effect in a rat model of bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). Methods: Forty-eight male, 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to four groups 6 weeks after BCCAO or sham operation: EGCG-single intravenous injection (25 mg/kg/day; SIV group), EGCG-multiple intraperitoneal injection (50 mg/kg/day for 5 days; MIP group), untreated BCCAO group (untreated group), and sham-operated group (sham group). Results: Escape latency was significantly shorter in the SIV and MIP groups than in the untreated group. SIV and MIP groups were significantly different from the untreated group in the activity of superoxide dismutase and the content of malondialdehyde (p < 0.05). Protein expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was not significantly different between groups (p > 0.05), while protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly lower in the SIV group than in the untreated group (p < 0.05). Protein expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits NR1 and NR2B was significantly higher in the MIP group than in the untreated group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: EGCG administration at 6 weeks after BCCAO is neurorestorative via an anti-oxidant effect and synaptogenesis, except for angiogenesis.
Keywords: (–)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate, neurorestoration, cognition, vascular dementia, rat
