Eupalinolide B prevents cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β(Ser9) signaling pathway

Ischemic stroke (IS) is the leading cause of prevalence and mortality in China and a major global public health problem. Eupalinolide B (EB) stands as the main biologically active constituent extracted from Eupatorium lindleyanum, exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, with particular emphasis on its neuroprotective potential in neurodegenerative disorders. Nevertheless, the precise therapeutic outcomes and the specific molecular pathways mediating the protective effects of EB against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) are still not fully elucidated. This study systematically explores the potential therapeutic targets and regulatory networks of EB in CIRI treatment through an integrative approach combining network pharmacology analysis with in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) modeling in PC12 cells and in vivo middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) modeling in mice. Our findings demonstrate that EB modulates a network composed of 54 core therapeutic targets, including apoptosis regulators (Bcl-2) and components of the PI3K/Akt signaling cascade. In vitro experiments indicate that EB significantly improves the viability of PC12 cells induced by OGD/R, while attenuating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and restoring mitochondrial membrane potential. Complementary in vivo studies reveal that the administration of EB activates the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β(Ser9) signaling pathway in MCAO/R mice, leading to reduced neurological deficits, decreased cerebral infarction area, and a mitigation of neuronal pathological changes. Collectively, these findings indicate that EB inhibits neuronal apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β(Ser9) signaling pathway, thereby exerting a preventive effect against CIRI. This provides robust experimental evidence for the potential of EB as a new anti-IS therapy.