Brain targeted borneol-baicalin liposome improves blood-brain barrier integrity after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via inhibiting HIF-1α/VEGF/eNOS/NO signal pathway

Baicalin (BA) is widely used in the treatment of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). The key to treating encephalopathy is to increase the amounts of drugs entering the brain. Borneol-baicalin liposome (BO-BA-LP) was prepared in previous research based on the characteristics of borneol (BO) in promoting drug brain entry. In this study, the effect of BO-BA-LP on improving blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity was researched. Results showed BO-BA-LP may increase ability of BA to penetrate the cell membrane in vitro. Pharmacokinetic results showed the BO-BA-LP could increase concentrations of BA in plasma and brain tissues of normal and CIRI mice. Pharmacological results revealed BO-BA-LP could improve the neurological function, brain edema, and histopathology of CIRI mice. Besides, BO-BA-LP could protect BBB by regulating hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/nitric oxide (NO) pathway. The research showed that BO in BO-BA-LP could increase the absorption of BA by increasing BBB permeability, leading to a better therapeutic effect of BO-BA-LP on CIRI mice.