AIMTo investigate the protective effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), a soluble element extracted from Carthamus tinctorius L., on focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

METHODSFocal cerebral ischemia in male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Three doses of 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mg x kg(-1) of HSYA were administrated to three groups of rats, separately, via sublingular vein injection 30 min after the onset of ischemia. 24 h after ischemia in rats, neurological deficit scores were evaluated and the infarction area of brain was assessed by quantitative image analysis. The in vitro neuroprotective effect of HSYA was tested in cultured fetal cortical neurons exposed to glutamate and sodium cyanide (NaCN).

RESULTSHSYA at doses of 3.0 and 6.0 mg x kg(-1) exerted significant neuroprotective effects on rats with focal cerebral ischemic injury as expressed by neurological deficit scores and reduced the infarct area as compared with saline group, and the potency of HSYA at dose of 6.0 mg x kg(-1) was similar to that of 0.2 mg x kg(-1) of nimodipine. In vitro studies, HSYA significantly inhibited neurons damage induced by exposure to glutamate and NaCN in cultured fetal cortical cells.

CONCLUSIONHSYA has potential neuroprotective action against focal cerebral ischemia in rats and cultured rat fetal cortical neurons as well.