Evidence mapPaperPMID 41233341Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Biochanin A prevents neurodegeneration and oxidative stress in a kainic acid model of epilepsy by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Ratchaniporn Kongsui, Tichanon Promsrisuk, Teera Chanmanee, Lars Klimaschewski, Sataporn Jamsuwan, Napatr Sriraksa, Jinatta Jittiwat, Sitthisak Thongrong

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Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Neuroprotective effects ofBiomedical reports · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ratchaniporn KongsuiDivision of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
Tichanon PromsrisukDivision of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
Teera ChanmaneeDivision of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Tambon Maeka, Amphur Muang Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
Lars KlimaschewskiDivision of Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy Histology and Embryology, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Sataporn JamsuwanDivision of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Tambon Maeka, Amphur Muang Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
Napatr SriraksaDivision of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
Jinatta JittiwatFaculty of Medicine, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, Maha Sarakham, 44000, Thailand.
Sitthisak ThongrongDivision of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2, Tambon Maeka, Amphur Muang Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand. sitthisak.th@up.ac.th.

Funding

Thailand science research and innovation fund and the University of Phayao Fundamental fund number 1852/2567
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Epilepsy is a serious neurodegenerative disorder, which affects approximately 50 million people worldwide. Growing evidence indicates that oxidative stress caused by an excessive production of free radicals is considered one of the etiologies of epilepsy. Several studies have demonstrated that neurotoxicity-induced oxidative stress leads to neuronal cell death and seizure severity. In this study, we investigated the possible effects of biochanin A (BA), a natural isoflavone containing antioxidant and neuroprotective activities, in a mouse model of epilepsy, induced by an intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid (KA). The administration of KA produced severe seizure activity, and a decrease in memory function. Histological studies following KA injection revealed significant neurodegeneration, astrocyte dysfunction, and microglia activation in CA1, CA3, and hilus of the hippocampus. Moreover, KA administration exhibited an increase in caspase-3, a decrease in antioxidative enzyme levels, and downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Conversely, BA treatment significantly increased seizure threshold and memory function. In addition, BA treatment reduced neuronal death, restored astrocyte function, and suppressed microglia activation in CA1, CA3, and hilus. The BA-mediated neuroprotection was accompanied by the significant upregulation of a crucial cellular pathway particularly related to the antioxidant defense system and cell survival, the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway, thereby increasing antioxidant enzyme levels (GSH, SOD, CAT) and reducing neuronal death. Taken together, our results suggest that BA possesses a neuroprotective effect through bolstering antioxidant defense mechanisms and activating neuronal survival. Thus, BA could be a possible pharmacological agent for the amelioration of epilepsy or other neurodegenerative diseases where oxidative stress is a key factor.

Indexed as

EpilepsyGenisteinNeuroprotective AgentsNF-E2-Related Factor 2Oxidative StressSignal TransductionAnimalsAstrocytesDisease Models, AnimalHippocampusKainic AcidMaleMiceMicrogliaPhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktbiochanin AGenisteinKainic AcidNeuroprotective AgentsNfe2l2 protein, mouseNF-E2-Related Factor 2Phosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktAntioxidantsBiochanin aEpilepsyKainic acidPI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway

Identifiers

PMID41233341
PMCPMC12615672

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.