Author/Authors :
Hosseini، Seyed Ruhollah نويسنده Neuroscience Research Centre, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Kaka، Gholamreza نويسنده Neuroscience Research Centre, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Joghataei، Mohammad Taghi نويسنده Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Hooshmandi، Mehdi نويسنده Neuroscience Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Sadraie، Seyed Homayoon نويسنده Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Sadraie, Seyed Homayoon , Yaghoobi، Kayvan نويسنده Neuroscience Research center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Yaghoobi, Kayvan , Mansoori، Korosh نويسنده Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , , Mohammadi، Alireza نويسنده Neuroscience Research Centre, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ,
Abstract :
Objective: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes inflammation, deformity and cell loss. It has
been shown that Melissa officinalis (MO), as herbal medicine, and dexamethasone (DEX)
are useful in the prevention of various neurological diseases. The present study evaluated
combinational effects of DEX and MO on spinal cord injury.
Materials and Methods: Thirty six adult male Wistar rats were used in this experimental
study. The weight-drop contusion method was employed to induce spinal cord injury in
rats. DEX and MO were administrated alone and together in different treatment groups.
Intra-muscular injection of DEX (1 mg/kg) was started three hours after injury and continued
once a day for seven days after injury. Intra-peritoneal (I.P) injection of MO (150 mg/
kg) was started one day after injury and continued once a day for 14 days.
Results: Our results showed motor and sensory functions were improved significantly in
the group received a combination of DEX and MO, compared to spinal cord injury group.
Mean cavity area was decreased and loss of lower motor neurons and astrogliosis in the
ventral horn of spinal cord was significantly prevented in the group received combination
of DEX and Melissa officinalis, compared to spinal cord injury group. Furthermore, the
findings showed a significant augmentation of electromyography (EMG) recruitment index,
increase of myelin diameter, and up-regulation of myelin basic protein in the treated
group with combination of DEX and MO.
Conclusion: Results showed that combination of DEX and MO could be considered as a
neuroprotective agent in spinal cord injury.
