stilbenes and Brain-Injuries

Resveratrol, a stilbene formed in many plants in response to various stressors, elicits multiple beneficial effects in vertebrates. Particularly, resveratrol was shown to have therapeutic properties in cancer, atherosclerosis and neurodegeneration. Resveratrol-induced benefits are modulated by multiple synergistic pathways that control oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death. Despite the lack of a definitive mechanism, both in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that resveratrol can induce a neuroprotective state when administered acutely or prior to experimental injury to the CNS. In this review, we discuss the neuroprotective potential of resveratrol in stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, with a focus on the molecular pathways responsible for this protection.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Brain Injuries; Humans; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Stroke

Neurodegenerative disorders and diseases (NDDs) that are either chronically acquired or triggered by a singular detrimental event are a rapidly growing cause of disability and/or death. In recent times, there have been major advancements in our understanding of various neurodegenerative disease states that have revealed common pathologic features or mechanisms. The many mechanistic parallels discovered between various neurodegenerative diseases suggest that a single therapeutic approach may be used to treat multiple disease conditions. Of late, natural compounds and supplemental substances have become an increasingly attractive option to treat NDDs because there is growing evidence that these nutritional constituents have potential adjunctive therapeutic effects (be it protective or restorative) on various neurodegenerative diseases. Here we review relevant experimental and clinical data on supplemental substances (i.e., curcuminoids, rosmarinic acid, resveratrol, acetyl-L-carnitine, and ω-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids) that have demonstrated encouraging therapeutic effects on chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and neurodegeneration resulting from acute adverse events, such as traumatic brain injury.

Topics: Acetylcarnitine; Alzheimer Disease; Brain; Brain Injuries; Cinnamates; Cognition Disorders; Curcumin; Depsides; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Humans; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Oxidative Stress; Polyphenols; Resveratrol; Rosmarinic Acid; Stilbenes

The impact of maternal nutrition on neurodevelopment and neonatal neuroprotection is a research topic with increasing interest. Maternal diet can also have deleterious effects on fetal brain development. Fetal exposure to alcohol is responsible for poor neonatal global development, and may increase brain vulnerability to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, one of the major causes of acute mortality and chronic neurological disability in newborns. Despite frequent prevention campaigns, about 10% of women in the general population drinks alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This study was inspired by this alarming fact. Its aim was to evaluate the beneficial effects of maternal supplementation with two polyphenols during pregnancy and breastfeeding, on hypoxic-ischemic neonate rat brain damages, sensorimotor and cognitive impairments, in a context of moderate maternal alcoholism. Both stilbenoid polyphenols, trans-resveratrol (RSV - 0.15 mg/kg/day), and its hydroxylated analog, trans-piceatannol (PIC - 0.15 mg/kg/day), were administered in the drinking water, containing or not alcohol (0.5 g/kg/day). In a 7-day post-natal rat model of hypoxia-ischemia (HI), our data showed that moderate maternal alcoholism does not increase brain lesion volumes measured by MRI but leads to higher motor impairments. RSV supplementation could not reverse the deleterious effects of HI coupled with maternal alcoholism. However, PIC supplementation led to a recovery of all sensorimotor and cognitive functions. This neuroprotection was obtained with a dose of PIC corresponding to the consumption of a single passion fruit per day for a pregnant woman.

Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholism; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Brain; Brain Injuries; Cognitive Dysfunction; Female; Hypoxia; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Ischemia; Male; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Polyphenols; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) remains a major cause of perinatal mortality and chronic disability in newborns worldwide (1-6 for 1000 births) with a high risk of future motor, behavioral and neurological deficits. Keeping newborns under moderate hypothermia is the unique therapeutic approach but is not sufficiently successful as nearly 50% of infants do not respond to it. In a 7-day post-natal rat model of HI, we used pregnant and breastfeeding female nutritional supplementation with piceatannol (PIC), a polyphenol naturally found in berries, grapes and passion fruit, as a neuroprotective strategy. Maternal supplementation led to neuroprotection against neonate brain damage and reversed their sensorimotor deficits as well as cognitive impairments. Neuroprotection of per os maternal supplementation with PIC is a preventive strategy to counteract brain damage in pups induced by HI. This nutritional approach could easily be adopted as a preventive strategy in humans.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Behavior, Animal; Brain; Brain Injuries; Cognitive Dysfunction; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Hypoxia; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Ischemia; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Neurons; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Pregnancy; Rats; Stilbenes

Early brain injury (EBI) is considered to be the major factor associated with high morbidity and mortality after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Apoptosis is the major pathological mechanism of EBI, and its pathogenesis has not been fully clarified. Here, we report that thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), which is induced by protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK), participates in EBI by promoting apoptosis. By using adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to establish SAH models, as well as Terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, immunofluorescence, and western blot, we found that TXNIP expression significantly increased after SAH in comparison to the sham group and peaked at 48 h (up to 3.2-fold). Meanwhile, TXNIP was widely expressed in neurons and colocalized with TUNEL-positive cells in the hippocampus and cortex of SAH rats. After administration of TXNIP inhibitor-resveratrol (60 mg/kg), TXNIP small interfering RNA (siRNA) and the PERK inhibitor GSK2656157, TXNIP expression was significantly reduced, accompanied by an attenuation of apoptosis and prognostic indicators, including SAH grade, neurological deficits, brain water content, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Collectively, these results suggest that TXNIP may participate in EBI after SAH by mediating apoptosis. The blockage of TXNIP induced by PERK could be a potential therapeutic strategy for SAH treatment.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Blood-Brain Barrier; Brain Injuries; Carrier Proteins; Cell Cycle Proteins; eIF-2 Kinase; Gene Expression; Male; Neurons; Permeability; Protein Binding; Protein Transport; Rats; Resveratrol; RNA, Small Interfering; Stilbenes; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Pterostilbene (PTE), one of the polyphenols present in plants such as blueberries and grapes, has been suggested to have various effects, such as anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis, and anti-cancer effects. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a severe neurological event known for its high morbidity and mortality. Recently, early brain injury (EBI) has been reported to play a significant role in the prognosis of patients with SAH. The present study aimed to investigate whether PTE could attenuate EBI after SAH was induced in C57BL/6 J mice. We also studied possible underlying mechanisms. After PTE treatment, the neurological score and brain water content of the mice were assessed. Oxidative stress and neuronal injury were also evaluated. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activity was assessed using western blot analysis. Our results indicated that PTE treatment reduces the SAH grade, neurological score, and brain water content following SAH. PTE treatment also reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. PTE alleviated the oxidative stress following SAH as evidenced by the dihydroethidium staining, superoxide dismutase activity, malondialdehyde content, 3-nitrotyrosie and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine levels, and gp91

Topics: Animals; Brain; Brain Injuries; Inflammasomes; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Oxidative Stress; Stilbenes; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Topics: Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; Angiotensin I; Animals; Blotting, Western; Brain Injuries; Brain Ischemia; Fallopia multiflora; Glucosides; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; Male; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Neuroprotective Agents; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptor, TIE-2; Reperfusion Injury; Stilbenes; Stroke; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Both resveratrol (RV) and enriched environment (EE) exert beneficial effects on neurological functional recovery after an ischemic brain injury.. The neuroprotective effect of combined treatment of RV and EE was examined in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), aiming to further promote neurological functional recovery.. The combined therapy of RV and EE clearly improved locomotor activity and behaviour examination, compared to the monotherapy of RV or EE alone. Stroke severity was also markedly ameliorated by the co-treatment. Mechanistic study revealed that the combined treatment reduced oxidative stress. Moreover, the detrimental ERK1/2 signalling upregulated by MCAO injury was markedly suppressed by the co-treatment, compared to RV or EE monotherapy.. Altogether, the combined therapy of RV and EE showed a clearly enhanced neuroprotective effect, compared to RV or EE monotherapy, which might be a new strategy for the treatment of ischemic brain injury.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Brain Edema; Brain Infarction; Brain Injuries; Disease Models, Animal; Environment; Hydrogen Peroxide; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery; Locomotion; Male; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Neurologic Examination; Neuroprotective Agents; Nitric Oxide; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage causes acute mortality and morbidity in newborns and long-term neurological disorders in the survivors. Pterostilbene (PTE) is a natural compound possessing various biological and pharmacological activities. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of PTE on neonatal HI brain damagein P7 rat model and to explore the possible mechanisms. Neonatal HI brain damage was induced in rat pups (P7). Prior to the induction of HI injury, PTE was injected with or without zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP), an inhibitor of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). ZnPP was used to test whether abnormal changes of HO-1 expression were involved in the effect of PTE. The results showed that PTE exhibited excellent neuroprotective effects against neonatal HI brain injury, as evidenced by the decrease of brain infarct volume, brain edema, neurological score, and improvement in motor coordination motor deficit and working memory deficit. PTE pretreatment decreased the expression of several proinflammatory cytokines, including TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and key transcription factor p65 NF-κB, and reduced the number of TUNEL-stained neurons, indicating the inhibition of inflammation and programmed cell death. Moreover, PTE pretreatment decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content, increased superoxide dismutase activity and decreased reactive oxygen species level, indicating that PTE played an important antioxidant role. Furthermore, ZnPP was able to inhibit PTE-induced suppression of oxidative stress, programmed cell death, inflammation and brain damage. In conclusion, PTE pretreatment prevented HI-induced brain injury in newborns through HO-1-mediated reduction of oxidative stress, programmed cell death, and inflammation, and final improvement of histological and functional injury. Overall, the data that obtained in rat model provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of neonatal HI brain injury and may be translational to human clinical intervention for HI-associated brain injury in newborns.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Brain; Brain Edema; Brain Injuries; Cell Death; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Inhibitors; Female; Gait Disorders, Neurologic; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Male; Memory Disorders; Neuroprotective Agents; Oxidative Stress; Protoporphyrins; Psychomotor Disorders; Rats; Stilbenes; Up-Regulation

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury is a devastating disease with limited treatment options. Preventive treatment with resveratrol has indicated to be well tolerated and has lower toxicity in both experimental models and human patients. However, whether resveratrol administration post-hypoxic-ischemic protects against neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injury is not known. Here we reported that post-treatment with resveratrol significantly reduced brain damage at 7-day after the injury. We found that resveratrol reduced the expression levels of key inflammatory factors at the mRNA and protein levels, and at least partially via inhibiting microglia activation. Moreover, resveratrol exerted an anti-apoptotic effect, as assessed by TUNEL staining, and altered the expression of the apoptosis-related genes Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase3. Our data indicate that post-treatment with resveratrol protects against neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and suggest a promising therapeutic strategy to this disease.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Brain Injuries; Caspase 3; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Gene Expression Regulation; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Male; Microglia; Neuroprotective Agents; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Rats; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Ischemic stroke is particularly susceptible to free radicals mediated secondary neuronal damage, especially mitochondrial dysfunction. Malibatol A (MA), a novel resveratrol oligomer, has shown potential antioxidant property in vitro. But little is known about its effect on central nervous system (CNS) in vivo. In the present study, the effect of MA was evaluated in focal cerebral ischemia induced by right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice. MA at the dose of 20 mg/kg was administered by caudal-vein injection within 15 min after reperfusion. At 24 h after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, ameliorated neurological scores and reduced infarct volume was observed in MA treated group. Also, MA treatment restored the increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), 3-Nitrotyrosine (3-NT), and 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) induced by MCAO. The activities of respiratory enzyme complex I, III and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δm) were effectively preserved compared with MCAO group through MA treatment. Western blot analysis showed a marked increase in Bcl-2 and decrease in Bax expression after MA treatment as compared with MCAO group. Moreover, MA treatment prevented release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytoplasm and blunted activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Collectively, the present study indicates that MA can ameliorate MCAO-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and this might partially contribute to its protective effect on brain damage after 24 h of I/R injury.

Topics: Animals; Brain Injuries; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Mitochondria; Neuroprotective Agents; Stilbenes; Stroke

Despite advances in neonatal care, hypoxic-ischemic brain injury is still a serious clinical problem, which is responsible for many cases of perinatal mortality, cerebral palsy, motor impairment and cognitive deficits. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol with important anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, is present in grapevines, peanuts and pomegranates. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the possible neuroprotective effect of resveratrol when administered before or immediately after a hypoxic-ischemic brain event in neonatal rats by analyzing brain damage, the mitochondrial status and long-term cognitive impairment. Our results indicate that pretreatment with resveratrol protects against brain damage, reducing infarct volume, preserving myelination and minimizing the astroglial reactive response. Moreover its neuroprotective effect was found to be long lasting, as behavioral outcomes were significantly improved at adulthood. We speculate that one of the mechanisms for this neuroprotection may be related to the maintenance of the mitochondrial inner membrane integrity and potential, and to the reduction of reactive oxygen species. Curiously, none of these protective features was observed when resveratrol was administered immediately after hypoxia-ischemia.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Astrocytes; Behavior, Animal; Brain; Brain Injuries; Cognition Disorders; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Male; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mitochondria; Myelin Basic Protein; Neuroprotective Agents; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reactive Oxygen Species; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antioxidants; Brain Injuries; Disease Models, Animal; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Neoplasm Proteins; Neurologic Examination; NF-kappa B; Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Resveratrol has been shown to attenuate cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH); however, no study has explored its neuroprotective effect in early brain injury (EBI) after experimental SAH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiapoptotic function of resveratrol in EBI and its relationship with the PI3K/Akt survival pathway.. Experimental SAH was induced in adult male rats by prechiasmatic cistern injection. Control and SAH rats were divided into six groups and treated with low (20 mg/kg) or high (60 mg/kg) concentrations of resveratrol with or without LY294002 cotreatment. Brain samples of the rats were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) apoptosis assays.. High-concentration but not low-concentration resveratrol treatment in SAH rats led to a significant increase in phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) protein levels compared with SAH rats without treatment. In addition, p-Akt-positive cells mainly colocalized with NeuN-positive cells. Neuronal apoptosis in SAH rat brain was attenuated by high-concentration resveratrol treatment. The antiapoptotic effect of resveratrol in SAH rats could be partially abrogated by the PI3K/Akt signaling inhibitor LY294002.. Our results show that resveratrol has an antiapoptotic effect in EBI and that resveratrol might act through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Brain Injuries; Disease Models, Animal; Early Diagnosis; Interneurons; Male; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often caused by accidents that damage the brain. TBI can induce glutamate excitotoxicity and lead to neuronal and glial cell death. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of cell death during the secondary damage caused by TBI in vivo and in vitro, as well as the protective effect of resveratrol (RV). Here we report that glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) activation and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 processing were induced in rat brains exposed to TBI. In the in vitro TBI model, apoptotic and autophagic cell death were induced through glutamate-mediated GSK-3β activation in normal CTX TNA2 astrocytes. The GSK-3β inhibitor SB216763 or transfection of GSK-3β small-interfering RNA increases cell survival. By contrast, overexpression of GSK-3β enhanced glutamate excitotoxicity. Administration of RV reduced cell death in CTX TNA2 astrocytes by suppressing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated GSK-3β activation, the mechanism by which RV also exerted protective effects in vivo. Mitochondrial damages, including the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and mitochondrial depolarization, were induced by glutamate through the ROS/GSK-3β pathway. Moreover, cyclosporine A, an MPTP inhibitor, suppressed mitochondrial damage and the percentages of cells undergoing autophagy and apoptosis and thereby increased cell survival. Taken together, our results demonstrated that cell death occurring after TBI is induced through the ROS/GSK-3β/mitochondria signaling pathway and that administration of RV can increase cell survival by suppressing GSK-3β-mediated autophagy and apoptosis. Therefore, the results indicated that resveratrol may serve as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of TBI.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Astrocytes; Autophagy; Brain Injuries; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Cytoprotection; Enzyme Activation; Glutamic Acid; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; Male; Mitochondria; Neuroprotective Agents; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reactive Oxygen Species; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Time Factors

Following a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) event, the secondary brain injury that persists after the initial blow to the head consists of excitotoxicity, decreased cerebral glucose levels, oxidant injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and neuronal cell death. To date, there are no effective interventions used at decreasing secondary brain injury after mild TBI.. In this study, male mice were treated with either placebo or resveratrol (100 mg/kg) at 5 minutes and 12 hours after mild TBI. The mice were injured using the controlled cortical impact device. In this closed-head model, a midline incision was made to access the skull and the impactor tip was aligned on the sagittal suture midway between the bregma and lambda sutures. The mice were injured at a depth of 2.0 mm, velocity of 4 m/s, and a delay time of 100 milliseconds. At 72 hours following injury, the animals were intracardially perfused with 0.9% saline followed by 10% phosphate-buffered formalin. The whole brain was removed, sliced, and stained for microglial activation (Iba1). In addition, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, tissue levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-12 were measured in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.. In this study, we found that in the placebo treatment group, there was a significant increase in Iba1 staining in the brain. The levels of microglial activation was reduced by resveratrol in the cerebral cortex (p < 0.001), corpus callosum (p < 0.001), and dentate gyrus (p < 0.005) brain regions after mild TBI. In addition to Iba1, resveratrol decreased the brain levels of IL-6 (p < 0.0001) and IL-12 (p < 0.004), which were observed in the hippocampus of the placebo group. In our model, no increase of IL-6 or IL-12 was observed in the cerebral cortex following TBI.. Resveratrol given acutely after TBI results in a decrease in neuroinflammation. These results suggest that resveratrol may be beneficial in reducing secondary brain injury after experiencing a mild TBI.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Brain Injuries; Disease Models, Animal; Encephalitis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Hippocampus; Interleukin-12; Interleukin-6; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microglia; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) induced injury of the neonatal brain accounts for behavioral deficits concerning mainly neurological reflexes, sensorimotor functions and learning/memory disabilities that may evolve throughout development. The positive biological effects of resveratrol, a natural compound with anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory properties found mainly in red wine have been indicated recently. Aim of this study was to investigate the delayed outcome of early administration of resveratrol in an experimental model of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, by means of behavioral analysis and late neuropathological examination. Seven-day-old (P7) rats were separated into 3 groups: Group 1 underwent HI and treated with resveratrol. Group 2 (HI-treated) was subjected to HI and received same volume of saline. Group 3 (sham-operated) was the control group. A battery of behavioral tests was performed from days P8-P66, during which early reflexes (righting reflex, gait, geotaxis), sensorimotor (rope suspension, beam walking, rotarod) and learning/memory function (passive avoidance, Morris water-maze) were examined. Significant difference among the groups was observed in righting reflex, rotarod and water maze tests in which the resveratrol group almost reached the performance of the control animals. The other behavioral tests showed that control and resveratrol groups were better compared to HI, although not significant. Neuropathology study revealed a remarkable reduction of the infarct and preservation of myelination after resveratrol treatment, which was in most cases correlated with the better performance of the resveratrol group. These findings indicate that long-term neuroprotective effect of resveratrol on neonatal HI-induced gray and white matter damage might be associated with the preservation of behavioral functions.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Brain Injuries; Female; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain; Male; Maze Learning; Memory; Neuroprotective Agents; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reflex, Righting; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) is a plant-derived small molecule that is protective against multiple neurological and systemic insults. To date, no studies have explored the potential for resveratrol to provide behavioral protection in adult animals in the setting of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Using 50 male Sprague-Dawley rats, we employed the controlled cortical impact (CCI) model to ascertain whether post-injury administration of resveratrol would reduce the severity of the well-described cognitive and motor deficits associated with the model. Contusion volumes and hippocampal neuronal numbers were also measured to characterize the tissue and neuronal-sparing properties, respectively, of resveratrol. We found that 100 mg/kg, but not 10 mg/kg, of intraperitoneal resveratrol administered after injury provides significant behavioral protection in rats sustaining CCI. Specifically, rodents treated with 100 mg/kg of resveratrol showed improvements in motor performance (beam balance and beam walking) and testing of visuospatial memory (Morris water maze). Behavioral protection was correlated with significantly reduced contusion volumes, preservation of CA1 and CA3 hippocampal neurons, and protection from overt hippocampal loss as a result of incorporation into the overlying cortical contusion in resveratrol-treated animals. Although the mechanisms by which resveratrol mediates its neuroprotection is unclear, the current study adds to the growing literature identifying resveratrol as a potential therapy for human brain injury.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Brain Injuries; Cell Count; Cell Death; Cerebral Cortex; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Hippocampus; Male; Maze Learning; Motor Activity; Neurons; Neuroprotective Agents; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resveratrol; Stilbenes

The aim of this study was to study the effects of resveratrol on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-induced brain injury.. Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups: sham operation, SAP, resveratrol-treated (RES), and dexamethasone-treated. Each group was evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 hours. Levels of serum myelin basic protein and zonula occludens 1 (Zo-1) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The brain and pancreatic tissues were examined using electron microscopy. Expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 were observed using immunohistochemistry, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting. Cytochrome c was detected using Western blotting alone.. Myelin basic protein and Zo-1 levels of the RES group were lower than the SAP group at all time points (P < 0.05). The RES group had significantly improved pathologic brain, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in Bax and caspases-3 expressions compared with the SAP group.. The degradation of Zo-1 is involved in the pathophysiology of brain injury in SAP; MBP can be used as a marker of brain injury in SAP. The protective effect of resveratrol might be associated with the up-regulation of Bcl-2 and down-regulation of Bax and caspase-3.

Topics: Animals; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Blotting, Western; Brain; Brain Injuries; Caspase 3; Cytochromes c; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Male; Membrane Proteins; Microscopy, Electron; Myelin Basic Protein; Neuroprotective Agents; Pancreas; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing; Phosphoproteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resveratrol; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Stilbenes; Time Factors; Vasodilator Agents; Zonula Occludens-1 Protein

Oxidative stress after traumatic brain injury may contribute to many of the pathophysiologic changes. Resveratrol, naturally present at high concentration in grape skin, seeds, and red wine, has significant antioxidant properties in a variety of in vitro and in vivo models. In this study, we investigate the effect of resveratrol on oxidative stress after traumatic brain injury in rat model.A total of 54 adult Wistar albino male rats weighing 250-300 g were used. The rats were allocated into three groups. The first group was control (sham-operated) group in which only a craniotomy was performed, the others were trauma and resveratrol groups. A 100 mg/kg single dose of resveratrol, freshly prepared by dissolving in 50% ethanol and diluted in physiological saline (2%), for resveratrol group, and 1 ml ethanol (2%) for trauma group, was administered intraperitoneally immediately after trauma. Weight-drop method was used for achieving head trauma. Then, all groups were separated into three subgroups for biochemical analysis, brain water content and histopathological assessment following trauma. Twenty-four hours after trauma brain water content and malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), xanthine oxidase (XO) levels of traumatic hemisphere were evaluated. Quantitative histopathological analysis was performed on 14th day postinjury. Trauma caused a significant increase in MDA, XO, NO levels and decrease in GSH level as compared to control group. Resveratrol administration significantly reduced MDA, XO and NO levels, increased GSH level, and also attenuated tissue lesion area. Our results indicate that treatment with resveratrol immediately after traumatic brain injury reduce oxidative stress and lesion volume. Future studies involving different doses and the dose-response relationship could promise better results.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Brain; Brain Injuries; Glutathione; Male; Malondialdehyde; Neuroprotective Agents; Nitric Oxide; Oxidative Stress; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Xanthine Oxidase

Childhood trauma resulting in traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to accidents and abuse is the major cause of death and dysfunction in the young. Since there are no approved specific pharmacological agents that block the progression of the secondary injury, the current management of TBI is mainly supportive. We aimed to determine the effect of resveratrol on hippocampal damage and behavioral deficits in 7-day-old rat pups subjected to contusion injury. Resveratrol was injected intraperitoneally at the doses of 100 mg/kg of body weight immediately after induction of traumatic injury. Hippocampal damage was examined by cresyl violet staining and behavioral alterations were evaluated using open field and novel object recognition tests 2 weeks after trauma. Histopathological evaluation showed that treatment with a single dose of 100 mg/kg resveratrol (i.p.) after the trauma significantly ameliorated the trauma induced hippocampal neuron loss at ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampal brain regions of rats. Additionally, treatment with resveratrol decreased anxiety and increased cortex/hippocampus dependent memory of animals subjected to blunt head trauma. These results show that acute treatment of resveratrol has a neuroprotective role against trauma induced hippocampal neuron loss and associated cognitive impairment in rats.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Antioxidants; Anxiety; Brain Injuries; Cell Death; Cognition Disorders; Hippocampus; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Memory; Memory Disorders; Nerve Degeneration; Neuroprotective Agents; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Stilbenes; Treatment Outcome