Elsevier

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 127, Issue 3, 17 February 2010, Pages 645-651
Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Neuroprotective activity of Matricaria recutita Linn against global model of ischemia in rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2009.12.009Get rights and content

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Traditionally, the whole plant is used for various diseases, including neuronal disorders.

Aim of the study

To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Matricaria recutita L. against global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury-induced oxidative stress in rats.

Materials and methods

Neuroprotective activity was carried out by global cerebral ischemia on Sprague–Dawley rats by bilateral carotid artery (BCA) occlusion for 30 min followed by 60 min reperfusion. The antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic levels were estimated along with cerebral infarction area and histopathological studies.

Results

The Matricaria recutita L. methanolic extract showed dose-dependent neuroprotective activity by significant decrease in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and increase in the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and total thiol levels in extract treated groups as compared to ischemia/reperfusion group. Cerebral infarction area was significantly reduced in extract treated groups as compared to ischemia/reperfusion group.

Conclusion

The methanolic extract of Matricaria recutita L. showed potent neuroprotective activity against global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced oxidative stress in rats.

Introduction

Cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) include some of the most common devastating disorders such as ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, cerebrovascular anomalies, etc. They cause two lacks deaths each year and are major cause of disability (Wade et al., 2005). Stroke has been ranked third most common cause of death worldwide and cerebrovascular diseases are considered second most frequent causes of projected deaths in the year 2020 (Anonymous, 1998, Huang and McNamara, 2004). At the present state of knowledge treatment of ischemic brain injury is far from adequate (Norris and Hachinski, 1993). Therefore, search for cerebro-protective agents with minimal risk of iatrogenic effects must, therefore continue. Natural products (specially the medicinal plants) probably represent an ideal source to develop safe and effective agents for management of stroke and deserve scientific probe.

Oxidative stress, which results from an imbalance between the generation and removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS), probably plays an important role in the development of tissue damage induced by arterial occlusion with subsequent reperfusion (Liu et al., 1989, Kinouchi et al., 1991, Yu et al., 1998). Neuronal death in a stroke is complex event involving failure of metabolic processes, excitotoxicity, loss of calcium homeostasis and oxidative stress, among other factors (Alexi et al., 2000). During ischemic stroke, increased glutamate release leads to increased Ca2+ level (Nicholis and Attwell, 1990). The massive Ca2+ entry activates enzymes such as proteases, oxidases, phospholipases and endonucleases (Nicotera and Lipton, 1999) that can hydrolyze the DNA molecule and destroy the cytoskeleton (Welch et al., 1997). Glutamate and Ca2+ both activates NMDA receptors and G-proteins and leads to phospholipase A2 activation favors the metabolism of arachidonic acid through lipoxygenases and eicosanoids in turn activate lipid peroxidation. Increased intracellular Ca2+ also activates protein kinase C that can modify the function of many ion channels (Picq et al., 1989). Several of these activated intracellular metabolic events lead to the generation of oxygen free radicals, which overcome the antioxidant defenses and provoke oxidative stress (Dugan and Choi, 1999).

Matricaria recutita L. (Asteraceae, commonly known as German chamomile) is one of the most widely used and well-documented medicinal plants in the world (Salaman, 1992). Chamomile is also extensively consumed as a tea or tonic. Chamomile is used both internally and externally to treat an extensive list of conditions. It is used externally for wounds, ulcers, eczema, gout, skin irritations, neuralgia, sciatica, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids (Newall et al., 1996) and internally to treat anxiety, hysteria, nightmares, insomnia and other sleep problems, convulsions and even delirium tremens (Martens, 1995). The main chemical constituents of the German chamomile are terpenoids like α-bisobolol, chamazulene, sesquiterpenes and flavonoids like apigenin, luteolin and quercetin (Newall et al., 1996).

The purpose of the present study is to know the safe and potent neuroprotective effect of German chamomile against global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced oxidative stress in Sprague–Dawley rats.

Section snippets

Drugs and chemicals

Trichloroacetic acid (TCA), 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA), 5-5′-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid), glutathione and (±)-epinephrine were purchased from Sigma–Aldrich Co., Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO, USA. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) was purchased from Hi-Media, Mumbai. All other chemicals were of the highest purity commercially available.

Plant material

In the present study, capitulas of Matricaria recutita L. were collected from the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, India during

Biochemical estimation

The results showed in Table 1 and Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 revealed potential neuroprotective activity of German chamomile methanolic extract. LPO levels exhibited significant increase and all other enzymatic and non-enzymatic parameters (SOD, CAT, GSH and Total thiols) showed a significant decrease in the BCA-occluded ischemic group (N.S. + I). These levels were further augmented in animals of ischemia/reperfusion (N.S. + I/R) group. The animals from extract treated groups had shown

Discussion

Oxygen is essential for aerobic life, but is also precursor to the formation of harmful ROS (Halliwell, 1991). Oxidative insults, whether over-excitation, excessive release of glutamate or ATP caused by stroke, ischemia or inflammation may initiate various signaling cascade leading to apoptotic cell death and neuronal damage (Viglino et al., 1988, Jenner, 1994, Farbiszewski et al., 1995). In the present study, we observed the therapeutic potential of Matricaria recutita Linn (German chamomile)

Acknowledgements

We are thankful to Principal and Head, Department of Pharmacology, H.S.K. College of Pharmacy, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India, for providing necessary facilities during the course of this study.

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