Multiple Therapeutic Effects of Adjunctive Baicalin Therapy in Experimental Bacterial Meningitis

• Published in: Inflammation 2010-06, Vol.33 (3), p.180-188
• Main Authors: Tang, Yong-Jun, Zhou, Fu-Wen, Luo, Zi-Qiang, Li, Xin-Zhong, Yan, Hui-Ming, Wang, Ming-Jie, Huang, Fu-Rong, Yue, Shao-Jie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ampicillin - pharmacology; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Brain Edema - cerebrospinal fluid; Brain Edema - drug therapy; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins - cerebrospinal fluid; Disease Models, Animal; Diuretics, Osmotic - pharmacology; Drug Therapy, Combination; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections - cerebrospinal fluid; Escherichia coli Infections - drug therapy; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Immunology; Interleukin-1 - cerebrospinal fluid; Internal Medicine; Intracranial Pressure - drug effects; Lactic Acid - cerebrospinal fluid; Leukocyte Count; Mannitol - pharmacology; Meningitis, Bacterial - cerebrospinal fluid; Meningitis, Bacterial - drug therapy; Pathology; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Rabbits; Rheumatology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - cerebrospinal fluid; Water - metabolism
• ISSN: 0360-3997; 1573-2576
• DOI: 10.1007/s10753-009-9172-9

This study aimed to examine effects of adjunctive baicalin therapy to ampicillin for experimental bacterial meningitis in rabbits. After Escherichia Coli inoculation, mean leukocyte counts, concentrations of protein, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and lactate in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), brain water content and mean arterial and intracranial pressures substantially increased in the meningitis group. Ampicillin alone for 5 h markedly exacerbated the enhanced leukocyte counts and protein concentration, and showed no significant effect on the elevated CSF TNF-α, IL-1 and lactate concentration, mean arterial and intracranial pressures, and brain water content. Baicalin (7-D-glucuronic acid-5,6-dihydroxyflavone, C 21 H 18 O 11 ) completely counteracted ampicillin-induced exacerbation, and further alleviated the enhanced mean leukocyte counts and protein concentration when combined with ampicillin. Adjunctive baicalin also significantly ameliorated the elevated CSF TNF-α, IL-1 and lactate concentration, mean arterial and intracranial pressures, and brain water content. Baicillin, as an adjunctive treatment exerted multiple therapeutic effects in experimental bacterial meningitis.