Description
Puerarin is an isoflavone derivative of daidzein found in Pueraria (Radix); it exhibits anxiolytic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antioxidative activities. This compound also acts as a phytoestrogen. Puerarin acts as an antagonist at 5-HT2C receptors and at the benzodiazepine site on GABA-A receptors. Puerarin increases social interaction time and locomotor activity in animal models of substance withdrawal and inhibits cognitive impairment in the Morris water maze paradigm in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, puerarin decreases systolic blood pressure and heart rate and downregulates expression of P2X3 receptors in animal models of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. This compound also protects neurons against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in vitro.
References
Liu S, Yu S, Xu C, et al. Puerarin alleviates aggravated sympathoexcitatory response induced by myocardial ischemia via regulating P2X3 receptor in rat superior cervical ganglia. Neurochem Int. 2014 May;70:39-49. PMID: 24657446.
Zhou Y, Xie N, Li L, et al. Puerarin alleviates cognitive impairment and oxidative stress in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2014 Apr;17(4):635-44. PMID: 24345484.
Zhang Q, Huang WD, Lv XY, et al. Puerarin protects differentiated PC12 cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Cell Biol Int. 2012 May 1;36(5):419-26. PMID: 22126839.
Overstreet DH, Kralic JE, Morrow AL, et al. NPI-031G (puerarin) reduces anxiogenic effects of alcohol withdrawal or benzodiazepine inverse or 5-HT2C agonists. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2003 Jun;75(3):619-25. PMID: 12895679.
