Spinal cord injury effectively ameliorated by neuroprotective effects of rosmarinic acid

• Published in: Nutritional neuroscience 2017-03, Vol.20 (3), p.172-179
• Main Authors: Shang, Ai-Jia, Yang, Ying, Wang, Hang-Yan, Tao, Ben-Zhang, Wang, Jing, Wang, Zhong-Feng, Zhou, Ding-Biao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active Transport, Cell Nucleus - drug effects; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biomarkers - metabolism; Cinnamates - administration & dosage; Cinnamates - therapeutic use; Cytokines; Depsides - administration & dosage; Depsides - therapeutic use; Disease Models, Animal; Inflammation; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Male; Motor Neurons - drug effects; Motor Neurons - immunology; Motor Neurons - metabolism; Motor Neurons - pathology; Nerve Tissue Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents - administration & dosage; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; NF-kappa B - metabolism; NF-κB; Nrf-2; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Protein Carbonylation - drug effects; Rats, Wistar; Reactive Oxygen Species - antagonists & inhibitors; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Rosmarinic Acid; Spinal Cord - drug effects; Spinal Cord - immunology; Spinal Cord - metabolism; Spinal Cord - pathology; Spinal Cord Injuries - drug therapy; Spinal Cord Injuries - immunology; Spinal Cord Injuries - metabolism; Spinal Cord Injuries - pathology; Spinal cord injury
• ISSN: 1028-415X; 1476-8305
• DOI: 10.1080/1028415X.2015.1103460

Objective: Pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) causes primary and secondary effects leading to loss of neuronal function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of rosmarinic acid (RA) in protection against SCI. Methods: The experimental study was carried out in male wistar rats categorized into three groups. Group I - sham operated rats; Group II - SCI; Group III - SCI followed by RA treatment (10 mg/kg). The spinal tissues after treatment schedule were analyzed for oxidative stress status through determination of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, protein damage (carbonyl and sulfhydryl contents), and antioxidant enzyme activities. The expression of oxidative stress factors NF-κB and Nrf-2 was determined by Western blot analysis. Further pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-1β) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The results show that treatment with RA significantly enhances the antioxidant status and decrease the oxidative stress in wistar rats post-SCI. RA effectively ameliorated inflammatory mechanisms by downregulation of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines post-SCI. Conclusion: The study demonstrates for the first time on the role of RA in protecting the spinal cord from injury and demonstrates its neuroprotection in wistar rats.