Effects of icariside II on brain tissue oxidative stress and Nrf2/HO-1 expression in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effects of icariside II on brain tissue oxidative stress and Nrf2/HO-1 expression in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Methods: One hundred SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model, and 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg icariside II groups, 20 rats in each group. The middle cerebral artery occlusion model (ischemia for 2 h followed by reperfusion for 24 h) was established in the later 4 groups. In later 3 groups, at reperfusion beginning, the rats were intragastrically administrated with 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg icariside II, respectively....