Effects of Vaccinium Arctostaphylos L. Seeds Oil on the Cerebral Stroke in Rat: A Biochemical, Immunohistochemically and Molecular Approach

Cerebral ischemic stroke -reperfusion (CIS/R) injury poses a significant threat to cognitive function.In this study, we explored the effects of Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. seeds oil (VASO) on a CIS/R model in Wistar rats and investigated its underlying mechanisms.Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: a normal group, a VASO-supplemented group (receiving 400 mg/kg VASO), an ischemic stroke-reperfusion (IS/R) group, and two IS/R groups treated with 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/ kg VASO, each comprising 10 rats.Cognitive performance was assessed using the Y-electric maze test.Additionally, we employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time PCR to examine the expression of proteins and genes associated with neurotrophic growth, inflammation, and apoptosis in the brain.Compared to the normal group, rats subjected to IS/R exhibited a significant delay in meeting the maze criteria.The IS/R group also demonstrated markedly elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), alongside reduced levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) and neurotrophic growth factors [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)].The group treated with 400 mg/kg VASO after IS/R displayed improvements, with increased levels of neurotrophic growth factors, and a favorable shift in the protein and gene expression profiles of inflammatory and apoptotic markers (including glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF-6), Bcl-2, Bax, and p53) compared to the IS/ R group.These results suggest that VASO extract may mitigate cognitive impairments following IS/R in rats, potentially through its modulation of microglia-secreted inflammatory factors.