SOME ASPECTS OF THE CEREBROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF EXTRACTS FROM THE HERB OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GENUS PRUNELLA

Introduction. Cerebral protection mediated by the administration of herbal agents is a promising approach to the adjuvant therapy of ischemic stroke. The genus Prunella L. (self-heal) has 15 species that are characterized by a broad spectrum of pharmacological activity. Objective: to experimentally evaluate the cerebroprotective effect of extracts from the herb of three self-heal species. Material and methods. The investigation objects were aqueous and aqueous-alcoholic extracts from the herb of big-flowered self-heal (Prunella grandiflora), cut-leaved self-heal (Prunella laciniata), and common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) gathered in the North Caucasus. Their cerebroprotective effect was evaluated on a rat model of permanent focal ischemia, by determining changes in the rate of cerebral blood flow, in the size of a brain necrotic area, and in the serum concentration of lactic acid. Results. The use of dry residues obtained with 70% and 40% ethyl alcohol from the herb of big-flowered, cut-leaved, and common self-heals assisted in decreasing serum lactate levels in the animals, restoring cerebral blood flow rate, and reducing the cerebral necrotic area to a comparable extent with the standardized extract of ginkgo biloba (EGB 671). Conclusion. Further investigations of extracts from the herb of three self-heal species were shown to be promising in identifying the possible mechanisms of cerebroprotective action.

Prunella grandiflora L, Prunella laciniata L, Prunella vulgaris L, cerebral ischemia, cerebroprotective effect, big-flowered self-heal (Prunella grandiflora L.), cut-leaved self-heal (Prunella laciniata L.), and common self-heal (Prunella vulgaris L.)