Bilobalide protects against ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses via the MAPK/NF-κB pathways in rats

Background Clinically, skeletal muscle ischemia/reperfusion injury is a life-threatening syndrome that is often caused by skeletal muscle damage and is characterized by oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Bilobalide has been found to have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, it is unclear whether bilobalide can protect skeletal muscle from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Methods The effects of bilobalide on ischemia/reperfusion-injured skeletal muscle were investigated by performing hematoxylin and eosin staining and assessing the wet weight/dry weight ratio of muscle tissue. Then, we measured lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity and inflammatory cytokine levels. Moreover, Western blotting was conducted to examine the protein levels of MAPK/NF-κB pathway members. Results Bilobalide treatment could protected hind limb skeletal muscle from ischemia/reperfusion injury by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses via the MAPK/NF-κB pathways. Conclusions Bilobalide may be a promising drug for I/R-injured muscle tissue. However, the specific mechanisms for the protective effects still need further study.