Qingkailing Suppresses the Activation of BV2 Microglial Cells by Inhibiting Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Inflammatory Responses

Qingkailing (QKL) is a well-known composite extract used in traditional Chinese medicine. This extract has been extensively administered to treat the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease. Our previous experiments confirmed that QKL exerts an inhibitory effect on cerebral ischemia-induced inflammatory responses. However, whether QKL suppresses the activation of microglia, the primary resident immune cells in the brain, has yet to be determined. In this study, BV2 microglial cells were used to validate the protective effects of QKL treatment following ischemia-reperfusion injury simulated via hypoxia/reoxygenation in vitro. Under these conditions, high expression levels of ROS, COX-2, iNOS, and p-p38 protein were detected. Following ischemia/reperfusion injury, QKL significantly increased the activity of BV2 cells to approximately the basal level by modulating microglial activation via inhibition of inflammatory factors, including TNF-α, COX-2, iNOS, and p-p38. However, QKL treatment also displayed dose-dependent differences in its inhibitory effects on p38 phosphorylation and inflammatory factor expression.