Standardized extract of Sanguisorba minor attenuates injury in aging rat model via the Nrf2/HO‑1 pathway

Abstract

Aging promotes damage to vulnerable organs like brain and liver. Sanguisorba minor has been traditionally used to cure various ailments. Few studies have reported pharmacological activities of this medicinal plant. This research aimed to investigate the effects of Sanguisorba minor extract (SME) on brain and liver injury in aging rats and identify the underlying mechanisms. The aging model was developed by subcutaneously injecting D‑galactose and simultaneously treating them with SME. After biochemical and pathological assessments, mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor‑erythroid factor 2‑related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Nrf2‑ regulated gene, heme oxygenase‑1 (HO‑1), in the brain and liver tissues were determined. As a result, malondialdehyde and acetylcholinesterase levels were elevated while total thiol content and superoxide dismutase were reduced in the aging rats. Treatment with the extract remarkably attenuated oxidative injury and pathological changes in liver and brain tissues. Concomitantly, the extract up‑regulated Nrf2 and HO‑1 genes. Our findings exhibited SME may improve the aging‑related brain and liver damage through the Nrf2‑HO‑1 pathway.