Assessment of Neuroprotective Properties of Melissa officinalis in Combination With Human Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells After Spinal Cord Injury.
The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) has a classically bad prognosis. It has been demonstrated that human umbilical cord blood stem cells (hUCBSCs) and Melissa officinalis (MO) are useful for the prevention of neurological disease.



Thirty-six adult male rats were randomly divided into intact, sham, control (SCI), MO, hUCBSC, and MO-hUCBSC groups. Intraperitoneal injection of MO (150 mg/kg) was commenced 24 hr post-SCI and continued once a day for 14 days. Intraspinal grafting of hUCBSCs was commenced immediately in the next day. The motor and sensory functions of all animals were evaluated once a week after the commencement of SCI. Electromyography (EMG) was performed in the last day in order to measure the recruitment index. Immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and transmission electron microscopy evaluations were performed to determine the level of astrogliosis and myelination.



The results revealed that motor function (MO-hUCBSC: 15 ± 0.3, SCI: 8.2 ± 0.37, p < .001), sensory function (MO-hUCBSC: 3.57 ± 0.19, SCI: 6.38 ± 0.23, p < .001), and EMG recruitment index (MO-hUCBSC: 3.71 ± 0.18, SCI: 1.6 ± 0.1, p < .001) were significantly improved in the MO-hUCBSC group compared with SCI group. Mean cavity area (MO-hUCBSC: 0.03 ± 0.03, SCI: 0.07 ± 0.004, p < .001) was reduced and loss of lower motor neurons (MO-hUCBSC: 7.6 ± 0.43, SCI: 3 ± 0.12, p < .001) and astrogliosis density (MO-hUCBSC: 3.1 ± 0.15, SCI: 6.25 ± 1.42, p < 0.001) in the ventral horn of spinal cord were prevented in MO-hUCBSC group compared with SCI group.



The results revealed that the combination of MO and hUCBSCs in comparison with the control group has neuroprotective effects in SCI.
Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Ruhollah
SR
Hosseini
Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran gh_kaka@yahoo.com.
Gholamreza
G
Kaka
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Taghi
MT
Joghataei
Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mehdi
M
Hooshmandi
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Homayoon
SH
Sadraie
Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Kayvan
K
Yaghoobi
Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza
A
Mohammadi
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D036101:Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D031334:Melissa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors
D015703:Antigens, CD; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine
Melissa officinalis; astrogliosis; human umbilical cord blood; myelination; spinal cord injury