Evaluation of Antioxidant and Cerebroprotective Effect of Medicago sativa Linn. against Ischemia and Reperfusion Insult

Abstract

Antioxidants have been the focus of studies for developing neuroprotective agents to be used in the therapy for stroke, which is an acute and progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Medicago sativa (MS) has a long tradition of use as ayurvedic and homoeopathic medicine in central nervous system disorders. The plant has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of methanol extract of MS on ischemia and reperfusion-induced cerebral injury in mice. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) for 15 min followed by 24-h reperfusion, resulted in significant elevation in infarct size, xanthine oxidase (XO) activity, superoxide anion (O•− 2) production and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) levels, and significant depletion in endogenous antioxidant [reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total tissue sulfhydryl (T-SH) groups] systems in mice brain. Further, BCAO led to impairment in short-term memory and motor coordination. Pre-treatment with MS (100 or 200 mg kg−1, p.o.) markedly reduced cerebral infarct size, XO, O•− 2 and TBARS levels, significantly restored GSH, SOD and T-SH levels and attenuated impairment in short-term memory and motor coordination. In addition, MS directly scavenged free radicals generated against a stable radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and O•− 2 generated in phenazine methosulphate-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide systems, and also inhibited XD/XO conversion and resultant O•− 2 production. The data from this study suggest that treatment with MS enhances the antioxidant defense against BCAO-induced global cerebral ischemia and exhibits neuroprotective activity.

Targeting Oxidative Stress and Inflammation to Prevent Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

“…Arabian-type polysaccharide (GBW) extracted from Ginkgo biloba, polyphenols from a variety of foods, and Sophora alopecuroides extract oxidized alkaloids all have antioxidant effects on cerebral ischemia in animals (Alfieri et al, 2013;Yang et al, 2013Yang et al, , 2019Chu et al, 2019;Han et al, 2019). In a mouse model of CIRI, it was demonstrated that a purpura extract can significantly reduce infarct size, restore the activities of antioxidants such as SOD and GSH, and decrease pro-oxidase enzyme activity by xanthine oxidase (Bora and Sharma, 2011). The protective effect of resveratrol on CIRI in mice is also related to its antioxidant properties (Dou et al, 2019).…”

Dissection of Mechanisms of a Chinese Medicinal Formula: Danhong Injection Therapy for Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion InjuryIn VivoandIn Vitro

“…A number of antioxidant enzymes are responsible for the removal of excess ROS in living organism. Among these, SOD is the most crucial enzymes in the cellular antioxidant system [36]. Furthermore, as an important product of lipid peroxidation, MDA also indirectly reflects the production of intracellular ROS [23].…”

A network pharmacology study on the triterpene saponins fromMedicago sativaL. for the treatment of Neurodegenerative diseases

“…Traditionally, M. sativa has pharmacological effects of improving memory and relieving central nervous system diseases (Bora & Sharma, ; Rafinska, Pomastowski, Wrona, Gorecki, & Buszewski, ). Studies on mice confirmed that M. sativa acted as neuroprotective agent (Bora & Sharma, ; Rafinska et al, ). The literature reviews have indicated that oleanane triterpene saponins are the main components isolated from M. sativa (Gholami, Geyter, Pollier, Goormachtig, & Goossens, ; Ma et al, ; Rafinska et al, ).…”

“…In the world, M. sativa is widely consumed as an excellent pasture for animals and a nutritious vegetable for humans in the form of salads, tortillas, puddings, soups, and casseroles (Cornara, Xiao, & Burlando, 2016;Martínez et al, 2016). Traditionally, M. sativa has pharmacological effects of improving memory and relieving central nervous system diseases (Bora & Sharma, 2011;Rafinska, Pomastowski, Wrona, Gorecki, & Buszewski, 2016). Studies on mice confirmed that M. sativa acted as neuroprotective agent (Bora & Sharma, 2011;Rafinska et al, 2016).…”

“…Traditionally, M. sativa has pharmacological effects of improving memory and relieving central nervous system diseases (Bora & Sharma, 2011;Rafinska, Pomastowski, Wrona, Gorecki, & Buszewski, 2016). Studies on mice confirmed that M. sativa acted as neuroprotective agent (Bora & Sharma, 2011;Rafinska et al, 2016).…”