Neuroprotective effect of Scutellaria baicalensis on spinal cord injury in rats

• Published in: Journal of neurochemistry 2009-08, Vol.110 (4), p.1276-1287
• Main Authors: Yune, Tae Y, Lee, Jee Y, Cui, Chun M, Kim, Ho C, Oh, Tae H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; apoptotic cell death; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Death - drug effects; Cell Death - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Cerebrospinal fluid. Meninges. Spinal cord; Cytokines - drug effects; Cytokines - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Down-Regulation - drug effects; Down-Regulation - physiology; Gliosis - drug therapy; Gliosis - etiology; Gliosis - physiopathology; inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - antagonists & inhibitors; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Inflammatory diseases; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Male; Medical sciences; Microglia - drug effects; Microglia - metabolism; Microglia - pathology; Myelitis - drug therapy; Myelitis - etiology; Myelitis - physiopathology; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I - drug effects; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I - metabolism; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxidative Stress - physiology; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reactive Oxygen Species - antagonists & inhibitors; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Recovery of Function - drug effects; Recovery of Function - physiology; Rodents; Scutellaria baicalensis; Scutellaria baicalensis; Spinal Cord - drug effects; Spinal Cord - pathology; Spinal Cord - physiopathology; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal Cord Injuries - drug therapy; Spinal Cord Injuries - pathology; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents
• ISSN: 0022-3042; 1471-4159
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06214.x

Inflammation has been known to play an important role in the pathogenesis after spinal cord injury (SCI). Microglia are activated after injury and produce a variety of proinflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, and reactive oxygen species leading to apoptosis of neurons and oligodendrocytes. In this study, we examined the neuroprotective effects of total ethanol extract of Scutellaria baicalensis (EESB), after SCI. Using primary microglial cultures, EESB treatment significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of such inflammatory mediators as tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide production were significantly attenuated by EESB treatment. For in vivo study, rats that had received a moderate spinal cord contusion injury at T9 received EESB orally at a dose of 100 mg/kg. EESB inhibited expression of proinflammatory factors and protein carbonylation and nitration after SCI. EESB also inhibited microglial activation at 4 h after injury. Furthermore, EESB significantly inhibited apoptotic cell death of neurons and oligodendrocytes and improved functional recovery after SCI. Lesion cavity and myelin loss were also reduced following EESB treatment. Thus, our data suggest that EESB significantly improve functional recovery by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress after injury.