Baicalin Promotes Recovery Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage by Inhibiting Ferroptosis in Brain Tissue Through Modulation of AKT/Nrf2/GPX4 Axis

ABSTRACT Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a serious acute cerebrovascular disease with a high death and disability rate. Baicalin plays a neuroprotective role in various diseases, but its regulatory mechanism on ICH remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and mechanisms of baicalin in ICH using an ICH mouse model. ICH mouse model was established by injection of collagenase type IV into intracranial in C57BL/6 mice. Neurological function was evaluated by neurological severity scores and the rotarod test. Hemorrhagic foci of brain was evaluated by TTC and hematoxylin−eosin staining. Iron ion deposition in brain was detected by Prussian blue staining. Ferroptosis was evaluated by measuring expression of FTH‐1, SLC7A11, GPX4, and TFRC, as well as detecting iron content and levels of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). GPX4 expression and apoptosis of brain were detected by immunofluorescence staining and TUNEL assay. Results showed that baicalin improved neurological function and reduced the area of hemorrhagic foci of brain in ICH mouse model. Baicalin decreased iron ion deposition, inhibited ferroptosis and apoptosis, and upregulated GPX4 in brain of ICH mouse model. Moreover, baicalin increased AKT1 phosphorylation and the protein level of Nrf2 in brain of ICH mouse model. Notably, AKT1 inhibitor LY294002 and Nrf2 inhibitor reversed the effects of baicalin on the activation of AKT1/Nrf2/GPX4 axis and the inhibition of ferroptosis in brain of ICH mouse model. Collectively, we demonstrated that baicalin promotes ICH recovery by inhibiting ferroptosis in brain tissue through activation of AKT/Nrf2/GPX4 axis. These results may provide new insights for the study of baicalin in the treatment of ICH.