Higenamine alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury is associated with a high incidence of neurological morbidity and mortality worldwide. Higenamine has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic capacities and has been successfully used in myocardial and intestinal ischemia reperfusion. We hypothesized that higenamine might serve the same effects in cerebral I/R. In a rat model of cerebral I/R, higenamine improved functional state of nerves, significantly inhibited the I/R-induced increase in the serum level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukins (ILs) such as IL-1, IL-6 and IL-18, and CD14(+) cells, while decreasing the axonal nerve degeneration. Together, the data demonstrate that higenamine has therapeutic effect in cerebral I/R injury.