Neuroprotective mechanisms of rutin for spinal cord injury through anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation and inhibition of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase pathway

Neural Regen Res, 2018 · DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.217349 · Published: January 1, 2018

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to oxidative stress and inflammation, worsening the initial damage. Rutin, a natural compound, has shown potential in protecting against such injuries. This study investigates whether rutin can protect against SCI in rats by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation through the p38 MAPK pathway. Rats with induced spinal cord injuries were treated with rutin. The researchers then assessed the rats' motor function, water content in the spinal cord, levels of oxidative stress markers, inflammatory cytokines, p38 MAPK protein expression, and caspase-3 and -9 activities. The study found that rutin treatment improved motor function, reduced spinal cord water content, decreased inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, and inhibited the p38 MAPK pathway. These findings suggest rutin can exert a neuroprotective effect against SCI by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.

Study Duration

3 days

Participants

40 male Sprague-Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Rutin increased Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor function scores, indicating improved motor function in rats with spinal cord injury.
2
Rutin reduced spinal cord water content, suggesting a decrease in edema following spinal cord injury.
3
Rutin decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, and interleukin 6, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect.

Research Summary

This study investigates the neuroprotective effects of rutin in a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI). The researchers hypothesized that rutin's mechanism of action involves inhibiting the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) pathway, which is crucial in controlling inflammation. The results demonstrated that rutin treatment led to improved locomotor function scores, reduced spinal cord water content, and decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, rutin increased oxidative stress-related markers and decreased p38 MAPK protein expression and caspase-3 and -9 activities. The findings suggest that rutin exerts a neuroprotective effect in SCI by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, inhibiting apoptosis, and modulating the p38 MAPK pathway. The study concludes that rutin holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for SCI.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

Rutin could be further explored as a therapeutic agent for spinal cord injury, potentially leading to new treatments.

Drug Development

The study provides a rationale for developing rutin-based drugs or therapies for SCI, focusing on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Further Research

Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of rutin treatment and to optimize its delivery and dosage for clinical use.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not directly translate to humans.
2
The study duration was short (3 days), and long-term effects of rutin treatment were not assessed.
3
The bioavailability of rutin is poor, which may limit its effectiveness in clinical applications.

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