Objective To explore the effects of verbascoside combined with electroacupuncture on neuroinflammation and brain tissue damage in ischemic stroke (IS) rats based on Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1)/protein kinase B (Akt)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. Methods A rat model of IS was constructed using middle cerebral artery occlusion. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into model group, verbascoside (10 mg/kg) group, electroacupuncture group, averbascoside + electroacupuncture group, nifedipine (10 mg/kg) group, Rac1/Akt/NF-κB pathway activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 10 μg/kg) group and verbascoside + electroacupuncture + PMA group, with 10 rats in each group. Another 10 normal rats were selected as the control group. After 2 h of successful modeling, each treatment group began intervention and continued treatment for 14 d. The neurological deficit and cerebral infarction area of rats in each group were evaluated. The levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-1β and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in brain tissue of rats were detected. The pathological damage and cell apoptosis in brain tissue of rats were detected. The expressions of S100β, arginase-1 (Arg-1) and Rac1/Akt/NF-κB pathway related proteins in brain tissue of rats were detected. Results Compared with control group, the neurological severity score (NSS) and cerebral infarction area ratio of rats in model group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), the levels of IL-17, IL-1β and MCP-1 in brain tissue were significantly increased (P < 0.05), the pathological damage in brain tissue was severe, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased (P < 0.05), the protein expression levels of S100β, Rac1, p-Akt/Akt, p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 in brain tissue were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the expression of Arg-1 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with model group, the above indicators were significantly improved in verbascoside group, electroacupuncture group, nifedipine group and verbascoside + electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05), among which the verbascoside + electroacupuncture group had a significantly better improvement effect than the verbascoside group and electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05). PMA could significantly reverse the improvement effect of verbascoside combined with electroacupuncture on IS rats (P < 0.05). Conclusion The combination of acteoside and electroacupuncture may alleviate neuroinflammation and brain tissue damage in IS rats by inhibiting Rac1/Akt/NF-κB pathway.

Rac1/Akt/NF-κB pathway  /  verbascoside  /  electroacupuncture  /  ischemic stroke  /  neuroinflammation  /  brain tissue damage