Puerarin: A protective drug against ischemia-reperfusion injury

Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022 · DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.927611 · Published: August 24, 2022

Cardiovascular Science Alternative Medicine Pharmacology

Simple Explanation

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) occurs when blood flow is interrupted and then restored to an organ, causing damage. Puerarin, a compound from Pueraria lobata, has shown promise in protecting against IRI in various organs. Puerarin has pharmacological effects such as dilating cerebral vessels and anti-free radical generation in cerebral ischemic tissues. Puerarin can protect organs from IRI through various mechanisms, such as reducing lactic acid production, inhibiting inflammatory responses, antioxidants, promoting angiogenesis, and inhibiting autophagy responses.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Review

Key Findings

1
Puerarin reduces myocardial apoptosis by reducing lactic acid production, inhibiting inflammatory response, inhibiting oxidative stress, opening the potassium channel and activating protein kinase C (PKC), promoting myocardial angiogenesis and inhibiting autophagy.
2
Puerarin can dilate cerebral vessels, reduce cerebrovascular resistance, improve microcirculation, reduce apoptosis, relieve inflammatory response, reduce autophagy, and protect against cerebral ischemic injury.
3
The neuroprotective mechanism of puerarin against spinal IRI involves the transcriptional up-regulation of thioredoxin (Trx) mRNA and the reduction of apoptosis, and the mechanism may be related to antioxidant damage.

Research Summary

Puerarin demonstrates a protective effect against ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in various organs, including the heart, brain, spinal cord, lung, and intestine. The protective mechanisms of puerarin involve reducing lactic acid production, inhibiting inflammatory responses, promoting angiogenesis, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating autophagy. Puerarin is commonly used in ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in clinical practice, with obvious advantages in clinical application. With the deepening of experimental pharmacological research and clinical research, puerarin is expected to be an effective drug for the clinical treatment of IRI.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

Puerarin could be developed as a therapeutic agent for mitigating ischemia-reperfusion injury in various clinical settings.

Drug Development

The development of puerarin derivatives could lead to more effective treatments for organ IRI.

Clinical Applications

Puerarin may serve as an adjuvant therapy for cerebrovascular diseases, with potential for improving patient outcomes.

Study Limitations

1
The safety of puerarin, especially for long-term use, remains to be determined.
2
The exacting route and administration time also need to be determined.
3
There is still a need for further studies, particularly randomized controlled trials.

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