Polyphenolic grape stalk and coffee extracts attenuate spinal cord injury‑induced neuropathic pain development in ICR‑CD1 female mice

Scientific Reports, 2022 · DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19109-4 · Published: September 19, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Pain Management Nutrition & Dietetics

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the potential of grape stalk extract (GSE) and coffee extract (CE) to prevent neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. The extracts were administered to mice after SCI, and their effects on pain behaviors, gliosis (glial cell activation), and expression of certain molecules in the spinal cord and brain were examined. The findings suggest that both GSE and CE may help attenuate SCI-induced neuropathic pain development by modulating neuroinflammation in the spinal cord and brain.

Study Duration

21 days

Participants

ICR-CD1 female mice (20–30 g)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
GSE and CE treatments modulated pain behaviors, reducing thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia in SCI mice.
2
Both extracts reduced gliosis (activation of glial cells) in the spinal cord, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and periaqueductal gray matter (PAG).
3
GSE and CE modulated the expression of chemokines (CCL2, CX3CL1) and their receptors (CCR2, CX3CR1) in the spinal cord, ACC, and PAG, suggesting a modulation of neuroinflammation.

Research Summary

The study investigated the preventive effects of grape stalk extract (GSE) and coffee extract (CE) on central neuropathic pain (CNP) development in spinal cord-injured mice. GSE and CE treatments modulated pain behaviors, reduced gliosis in the spinal cord and supraspinal structures, and modulated the expression of neuron-glia crosstalk-related biomolecules. The findings suggest that repeated administrations of GSE or CE after SCI may attenuate SCI-induced CNP development by means of spinal and supraspinal neuroinflammation modulation.

Practical Implications

Potential Therapeutic Strategies

Repeated administration of GSE or CE following SCI could be a potential pharmacological strategy to prevent spinal cord injury-induced pathological pain development.

Neuroinflammation Modulation

GSE and CE's effects may be linked to gliosis modulation and the prevention of upregulation of chemokines and their receptors, which are related to pathological pain development.

Natural Product-Based Therapies

The study supports the exploration of natural products like GSE and CE as alternatives or adjuncts in neuropathic pain management after SCI, expanding treatment possibilities beyond existing methods.

Study Limitations

1
The study focused on female mice, and the effects of GSE and CE may differ in males.
2
The highest doses of GSE and CE did not consistently show the best results in modulating CX3CL1 or astrogliosis in the ACC.
3
The primary targets of polyphenols in GSE and CE have not been fully elucidated, requiring further investigation.

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