Protective Effect of Some Medicinal Plant Phytoconstituents against Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Induced Focal Cerebral Ischaemia and Consequent Cerebral Infarction in Mice

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of major phytoconstituents of three important and wildly growing medicinal plants of forests of Punjab region in India for their possible protective effect against focal cerebral ischaemia and associated cerebral infarction. Ajugarin I I, Punarnavine and Marmesinin obtained from Ajuga bracteosa, Boerhaavia diffusa and Aegle marmelos respectively were used in the present protocol. Cerebral ischaemia was induced in mice using transient middle cerebral artery occlusion method. Evaluation of infarct volume and histomorphology was performed. Authenticity of stroke was evaluated by measuring neurological deficit score. A standard neuroprotective agent edavarone was used as control. Cerebral ischaemia resulted in infarction as evidenced by histopathology of the cerebral cortex sections of the animals and a subsequent increase in the neurological deficit score. Administration of the medicinal substances resulted in a significant reduction in the infarct volume and neurological deficit score. The results indicate the possible protective potential of selected phytoconstituents in cerebral ischaemia induced stroke.

Author(s): Nitish Bhatia, Pankaj Sharma, Birender Shrivastav and Mohd Masih Uzzaman Khan

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