title: Neuroprotective effect of apigenin in rats after contusive spinal cord injury.
abstract: Apigenin, a common plant flavonoid, has been extensively studied and showed a wide variety of beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of starting apigenin treatment 3 day after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rat and to investigate the underlying mechanism. SCI was induced using the modified weight-drop method in Sprague-Dawley rats. The SCI animals were randomly assigned to five groups: sham control group, SCI model group, the methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) group, the 10 mg/kg apigenin treatment group and the 20 mg/kg apigenin treatment group. First, neuronal function after SCI was evaluated with Basso Beattie Bresnahan locomotor rating scale (BBB) and the result showed that injured animals treated with apigenin showed a significant increase in BBB scores. To explore the underlying mechanism, antioxidative effect of apigenin was assessed by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities after SCI. Apigenin treatment reversed the decrease of SOD and GSH-Px activity, and the increase of MDA level caused by SCI, suggesting its antioxidative role in response to the injury. In addition, apigenin treatment decreased serum interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 release after SCI, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect of apigenin. Finally, apigenin treatment affected the expression level of apoptosis-related gene Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3, which indicated its antiapoptosis role after SCI. Our data suggest that apigenin significantly promotes the recovery of rat neuronal function after SCI, which is associated with its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Medical College of Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, No. 88 Jiefang Road, 310009, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China, fengzhangmr@163.com.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fangcai
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000737:chemistry; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D047310:Apigenin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; C000606292:Sod1 protein, rat; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1