Panaxatriol saponins promotes angiogenesis and enhances cerebral perfusion after ischemic stroke in rats

BACKGROUND: Panaxatriol saponins (PTS), an extract from the traditional Chinese herb Panax notoginseng, which has been used to treat ischemic stroke for many years in China. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of PTS remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether PTS can protect against ischemic brain injury by promoting angiogenesis and to explore the possible mechanism by which it promotes angiogenesis. METHODS: Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced in rats, and neurological deficit scores and brain infarct volumes were assessed. Micro-Positron emission tomography (PET) was adopted to assess cerebral perfusion, and real-time PCR and western blotting were used to evaluate vascular growth factor and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway component levels. Immunofluorescence staining was used to determine capillary densities in ischemic penumbrae. RESULTS: We showed that PTS improved neurological function and reduced infarct volumes in MCAO rats. Micro-PET indicated that PTS can significantly increase (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-PDG) uptake by ischemic brain tissue and enhance cerebral perfusion after MCAO surgery. Moreover, PTS was able to increase capillary densities and enhance angiogenesis in ischemic boundary zones and up-regulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) expression by activating the Shh signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that PTS exerts protective effects against cerebral ischemic injury by enhancing angiogenesis and improving microperfusion. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1579-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.