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Pure mechanistic analysis of additive neuroprotective effects between baicalin and jasminoidin in ischemic stroke mice

Peng-qian WANG1, Qiong LIU2, Wen-juan XU1, Ya-nan YU2, Ying-ying ZHANG3, Bing LI2,4, Jun LIU2, Zhong WANG2
1 Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
2 Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
3 Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China
4 Institute of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
Correspondence to: Jun LIU: franlj1104@aliyun.com, Zhong WANG: zhonw@vip.sina.com,
DOI: 10.1038/aps.2017.145
Received: 14 July 2017
Accepted: 18 October 2017
Advance online: 18 January 2018

Abstract

Abstract
Both baicalin (BA) and jasminoidin (JA) are active ingredients in Chinese herb medicine Scutellaria baicalensis and Fructus gardeniae, respectively. They have been shown to exert additive neuroprotective action in ischemic stroke models. In this study we used transcriptome analysis to explore the pure therapeutic mechanisms of BA, JA and their combination (BJ) contributing to phenotype variation and reversal of pathological processes. Mice with middle cerebral artery obstruction were treated with BA, JA, their combination (BJ), or concha margaritifera (CM). Cerebral infarct volume was examined to determine the effect of these compounds on phenotype. Using the hippocampus microarray and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software, we exacted the differentially expressed genes, networks, pathways, and functions in positive-phenotype groups (BA, JA and BJ) by comparing with the negative-phenotype group (CM). In the BA, JA, and BJ groups, a total of 7, 4, and 11 specific target molecules, 1, 1, and 4 networks, 51, 59, and 18 canonical pathways and 70, 53, and 64 biological functions, respectively, were identified. Pure therapeutic mechanisms of BA and JA were mainly overlapped in specific target molecules, functions and pathways, which were related to the nervous system, inflammation and immune response. The specific mechanisms of BA and JA were associated with apoptosis and cancer-related signaling and endocrine and hormone regulation, respectively. In the BJ group, novel target profiles distinct from mono-therapies were revealed, including 11 specific target molecules, 10 functions, and 10 pathways, the majority of which were related to a virus-mediated immune response. The pure additive effects between BA and JA were based on enhanced action in virus-mediated immune response. This pure mechanistic analysis may provide a clearer outline of the target profiles of multi-target compounds and combination therapies.
Keywords: ischemic stroke; traditional Chinese medicine; baicalin; jasminoidin; combination therapy; additive effects; hippocampus microarray; transcriptome; network pharmacology; Fangjiomics

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