s-allylcysteine and Infarction--Middle-Cerebral-Artery

Oxidative stress and inflammatory damage play an important role in cerebral ischemic pathogenesis and may represent a target for treatment. The present study examined the hypothesis that S-allyl cysteine (SAC), organosulfur compounds found in garlic extract, would reduce oxidative stress-associated brain injury after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). To test this hypothesis, male Wistar rats were subjected to MCAO for 2 hours and 22-hour reperfusion. S-allyl cysteine was administered (100 mg/kg, b.wt.) intraperitoneally 30 minutes before the onset of ischemia and after the ischemia at the interval of 0, 6, and 12 hours. After 24 hours of reperfusion, rats were tested for neurobehavioral activities and were killed for the infarct volume, estimation of lipid peroxidation, glutathione content, and activity of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase). S-allyl cysteine treatment significantly reduced ischemic lesion volume, improved neurologic deficits, combated oxidative loads, and suppressed neuronal loss. Behavioral and biochemical alterations observed after MCAO were further associated with an increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein and inducible nitric oxide expression and were markedly inhibited by the treatment with SAC. The results suggest that SAC exhibits exuberant neuroprotective potential in rat ischemia/reperfusion model. Thus, this finding of SAC-induced adaptation to ischemic stress and inflammation could suggest a novel avenue for clinical intervention during ischemia and reperfusion.

Topics: Allium; Animals; Antioxidants; Behavior, Animal; Brain Ischemia; Cerebrum; Cysteine; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; Inflammation; Male; Nervous System Diseases; Neuroprotective Agents; Nitric Oxide; Oxidative Stress; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury

Ischemic brain is highly vulnerable to free radicals mediated secondary neuronal damage especially mitochondrial dysfunctions. Present study investigated the neuroprotective effect of S-allyl L-cysteine (SAC), a water soluble compound from garlic, against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced mitochondrial dysfunctions in hippocampus (HIP). We used transient rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of brain ischemia. SAC (300 mg/kg) was given twice intraperitoneally: 15 min pre-occlusion and 2 h post-occlusion at the time of reperfusion. SAC significantly restored ATP content and the activity of mitochondrial respiratory complexes in SAC treated group which were severely altered in MCAO group. A marked decrease in calcium swelling was observed as a result of SAC treatment. Western blot analysis showed a marked decrease in cytochrome c release as a result of SAC treatment. The status of mitochondrial glutathione (GSH) and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6-PD) was restored by SAC treatment with a significant decrease in mitochondrial lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyl (PC) and H2O2 content. SAC significantly improved neurological deficits assessed by different scoring methods as compared to MCAO group. Also, the brain edema was significantly reduced. The findings of this study suggest the ability of SAC in functional preservation of ischemic neurovascular units and its therapeutic relevance in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Topics: Animals; Blotting, Western; Brain Edema; Calcium; Cysteine; Cytochromes c; Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins; Glutathione; Hippocampus; Hydrogen Peroxide; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Mitochondria; Motor Activity; Neuroprotective Agents; Protein Carbonylation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury; Severity of Illness Index