Syzygium malaccense L. EXTRACT ATTENUATES INFLAMMATION AND IMPROVES ANTIOXIDANT DEFENCES IN A RAT MODEL OF STROKE

Abstract

The study was taken to investigate the protective role of hydroalcoholic extract of Syzygium malaccense L. (HASM)
against brain damage and functional outcome after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Briefly, male
rats of wistar strain were randomly divided into sham control, disease control, HASM-I (200 mg/kg, b.wt., p.o),
HASM-II (400 mg/kg, b.wt., p.o) groups, treated with their respective treatment for 14 days cerebral I/R injury was
induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h, followed by reperfusion for 24 hrs. After 24 h of
reperfusion, the rats were tested for neurological deficits using five point scale, morris water maze and grip strength
test. In addition, the brain tissues were isolated for measurement of levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α),
interleukin (IL)-6 and PGE2, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), catalase
(CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The results revealed that the neurological deficit scores were significantly
(p<0.001) attenuated upon treatment with HASM in a dose dependent manner when compared with sham group.
HASM treatment also reversed MCAO induced changes in inflammation, as evident with a significantly (p<0.001)
decreased levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and PGE2 expression. Moreover, HASM significantly (p<0.001) prevented
oxidative damage and improved the antioxidant enzymes of SOD, GSH, GPx with a significant (p<0.001) decline in
prooxidant enxymes of MDA, CAT. Together the results, it can be concluded that HASM attenuated MCAO
induced brain damage and improved function outcome, probably due to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory
properties.