A key focus in the field of
drug discovery has been motivated by the neuroprotection of natural compounds.
Cerebral ischemia is a multifaceted pathological process with a series of mechanisms, and a perspective for the development of
neuroprotectants from traditional herbal medicine or natural products is a promising treatment for this disease. Natural compounds with the effects of anti-oxidation, anti-
inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and neurofunctional regulation exhibit
therapeutic effects on experimental ischemic
brain injury. Conferring to the pharmacological mechanisms underlying neuroprotection, a study found that androgapholide, a
diterpene lactone compound, exhibits varying degrees of neuroprotective activities in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models of
stroke. The neuroprotective mechanisms of
andrographolide are suggested as: (I) increasing nuclear factor E2-related factor 2-heme
oxygenase (Nrf2-HO-1) expression through p38-mitogen activated
protein kinase (MAPK) regulation, (II) inducing cerebral endothelial cells (CEC) apoptosis and
caspase-3 activation, (III) down regulating Bax,
inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and (IV) inhibiting
hydroxyl radical (
OH-) formation, and activating
transcription factor NF-κB signaling pathways. Recently, several researchers have also been trying to unveil the principal mechanisms involved in the
neuroprotective effects of
andrographolide. Therefore, this review aims to summarize an overview on the
neuroprotective effects of
andrographolide and exemplifies the essential mechanisms involved. This paper can provide information that
andrographolide drug discovery may be a promising strategy for the development of a novel class of
neuroprotective drug.