title: Plumbagin Protects Against Spinal Cord Injury-induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Wistar Rats through Nrf-2 Upregulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal cord injury causes post-traumatic degeneration through series of biochemical events. This study aims to evaluate the possible protective mechanism of Plumbagin against Spinal cord injury induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Plumbagin is a potent antioxidant and shows anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. However, its exact molecular mechanism of action has yet to be explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested the effects of Plumbagin on spinal cord injury induced ROS generation and lipid peroxidation content in wistar rats. Additionally, the expression of 2 important transcription factors NF-κB and Nrf-2 was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plumbagin treatment significantly ameliorated oxidative stress through inhibition of ROS and lipid peroxidation with a concomitant increase in antioxidant status. Western blot analysis revealed enhanced nuclear levels of Nrf-2, while NF-κB expression was suppressed during Plumbagin administration. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) showed a significant downregulation followed by Plumbagin treatment in spinal cord injury rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, the data suggests potential and novel role of Plumbagin in cytoprotection by modulating NF-κB and Nrf-2 levels against spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Y-P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009285:Naphthoquinones; C495637:Nfe2l2 protein, rat; D020011:Protective Agents; C014758:plumbagin