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Planta Med 2002; 68(4): 330-335
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-26750
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Angiogenic Activity of β-Sitosterol in the Ischaemia/Reperfusion-Damaged Brain of Mongolian Gerbil

Seongwon Choi1 , Kyu-Won Kim2 , Jae-Sue Choi3 , Sang-Taek Han1 , Young-In Park4 , Seung-Ki Lee2 , Jeong-Soon Kim1 , Myung-Hee Chung1
  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
  • 2College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
  • 3Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, Pukyung National University, Pusan, Korea
  • 4College of Natural Resources, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
Further Information

Publication History

June 1, 2001

September 30, 2001

Publication Date:
02 May 2002 (online)

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Abstract

Aloe vera continues to be used for wound healing as a folk medicine. We previously reported that A. vera gel has angiogenic activity. In this study, we report upon the isolation of an angiogenic component β-sitosterol from A. vera and examination of its effect upon damaged blood vessels of the Mongolian gerbil. In a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay, β-sitosterol was found to have an angiogenic effect. It enhanced new vessel formation in gerbil brains damaged by ischaemia/reperfusion, especially in the cingulated cortex and septal regions, in a dose-dependent fashion (up to 500 μg/kg, p < 0.05, n = 34 - 40). β-Sitosterol also enhanced the expressions of proteins related to angiogenesis, namely von Willebrand factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor Flk-1, and blood vessel matrix laminin (p < 0.05, n = 6). In addition, the intraperitoneal administration of β-sitosterol at 500 μg/kg/day for a period of 19 days significantly improved the motion recovery of ischaemia/reperfusion-damaged gerbils as assessed by rota-rod testing (p < 0.001, n = 10). Our results suggest that β-sitosterol has therapeutic angiogenic effects on damaged blood vessels.

Key words

β-Sitosterol - Aloe barbadensis - Asphodelaceae - Mongolian gerbil - ischaemia/reperfusion

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Myung-Hee Chung

Department of Pharmacology

Seoul National University

College of Medicine


Yongon-dong Chongnoku

Seoul 110-799

Korea

Phone: +82-2-740-8294

Fax: +82-2-745-7996

Email: mhchung@snu.ac.kr

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