An investigation on the reparative effects of boswellic acid on experimental spinal cord injury in a Wistar rat model
Subject Areas :
Veterinary Clinical Pathology
Navid Razmian
1
(DVSc Candidate, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.)
Elham Hoveizi
2
(Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.)
Hadi Naddaf
3
(Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.)
Received: 2023-09-25
Accepted : 2023-12-06
Published : 2023-10-23
Keywords:
Inflammation,
spinal cord injury,
Neuroprotection,
animal model,
Boswellic acid,
Abstract :
Spinal cord injuries (SCI) present significant challenges in terms of treatment, often resulting in long-term disabilities. Currently, effective therapies for these injuries are lacking, highlighting the need for innovative and efficacious treatment approaches. In recent years, natural products, including boswellic acid, have been investigated as potential therapeutic agents for various diseases. This study aimed to assess the effects of boswellic acid on spinal cord injury. Twelve male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (SCI) and the boswellic acid group (BoA), each consisting of six rats. The SCI group did not receive any treatment for 56 days following spinal cord injury induction, while the BoA group received daily oral doses of 10 mg/kg boswellic acid for the same duration. Motor recovery was evaluated using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor test and spinal tissue analysis was conducted to evaluate the reparative effects of boswellic acid on the injured spinal cord. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in motor recovery in the boswellic acid-treated rats compared to the control group, as indicated by higher BBB scores (p<0.001). Histological analysis revealed notable enhancements in repair processes, including reduced lesion volume and increased myelination at the site of spinal cord injury in the BoA group compared to the SCI group (p<0.001). This study provides evidence of the reparative effects of boswellic acid on experimental spinal cord injury in the Wistar rat model, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of spinal cord trauma.
References:
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Al-Yahya, A., Asad, M., Sadaby, A., Alhussaini, MS. (2020). Repeat oral dose safety study of standardized methanolic extract of Boswellia sacra oleo gum resin in rats. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences.
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Apostolia, T. and Fehlings, M.G. (2014). Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury with Intravenous Immunoglobulin G: Preliminary Evidence and Future Perspectives. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 34(S1): 132-138.
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Schmidt, R.D. and Markovchick, V. (1992). Nontraumatic spinal cord compression. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 10(2): 189-199.
Shishiehgar, R., Habibiasl, B. and Ahmadizadeh, C. (2013). Study of sedative and anxiolytic effects of polar, semi-polar and nonpolar fractions of Artemisia Aucheri extract compared with diazepam in rats. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 7(1): 1744-1821 [In Perisan]
Siddiqui, M.Z. (2011). Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 73(3): 255-261.
Wang, D., Gao, Q., Wang, T., Kan, Zh., Li, X., et al. (2020). Green tea polyphenols and epigallocatechin-3-gallate protect against perfluorodecanoic acid induced liver damage and inflammation in mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Food Research International, 127:108628
Wang, Y., Xiong, Z.L., Ma, X.L., Zhou, C., Huo, M.H., Jiang, X.W. and Yu, W.H. (2022). Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid promotes sciatic nerve repair after injury: molecular mechanism. Neural Regeneration Research, 17(12): 2778-2784.
Xu, B.P., Yao, M., Li, Z.J., Tian, Z.R., Ye, J., Wang, Y.J. and Cui, X.J. (2020). Neurological recovery and antioxidant effects of resveratrol in rats with spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis. Neural Regeneration Research, 15(3): 482-490.
Ye, Y., Feng, T.T., Prng, Y.R., Hu, SH.Q. and Xu,T. (2018). The treatment of spinal cord injury in rats using bone marrow-derived neural-like cells induced by cerebrospinal fluid. Neuroscience Letters, 666: 85-91.
Zhang, Q., Yang, H., An, J., Zhang, R., Chen, B. and Hao, D.J. (2016). Therapeutic Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Spinal Cord Injury: A Promising Supplementary Treatment in Future. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016: 1-18.
Zhou, C., Wang, Y., Zhang, Q., Zhou, G., Ma, X., Jiang, X. and Yu, W. (2023). Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in Schwann cells to reduce oxidative stress and promote sciatic nerve injury repair. Planta Medica, Article in
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Adams, R.D. and Salam-Adams, M. (1991). Chronic Nontraumatic Diseases of the Spinal Cord. Neurologic Clinics, 9(3): 605-623.
Al-Yahya, A., Asad, M., Sadaby, A., Alhussaini, MS. (2020). Repeat oral dose safety study of standardized methanolic extract of Boswellia sacra oleo gum resin in rats. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences.
Ammon, H. P. T., Mack, T., Singh, G. and Safayhi., H. (1991). Inhibition of Leukotriene B 4 Formation in Rat Peritoneal Neutrophils by an Ethanolic Extract of the Gum Resin Exudate of Boswellia serrata. Planta Medica, 57(03): 203-207.
Ammon, H.P.T. (2010). Modulation of the immune system by Boswellia serrata extracts and boswellic acids. Phytomedicine, 17(11): 862-867.
Amrita, S., Kumar Gupta, N. and Kumar Dixit, V. (2010). Complexation with phosphatidyl choline as a strategy for absorption enhancement of boswellic acid. Drug Delivery, 17(8): 587-595.
Apostolia, T. and Fehlings, M.G. (2014). Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury with Intravenous Immunoglobulin G: Preliminary Evidence and Future Perspectives. Journal of Clinical Immunology, 34(S1): 132-138.
Bagheri, E., Marandi, SM., Ghasemi, N., Rezaee, Z. (2021). Effect of swimming on oligodendrocytic cells and myelin tissue in corpus callosum of rat model of MS induced by Cuprizone. Medical Journal of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.
Bagli, E., Goussia, A., Moschos, M.M., Agnantis, N. and Kitsos, G. (2016). Natural Compounds and Neuroprotection: Mechanisms of Action and Novel Delivery Systems. In vivo, 30(5): 535-547.
Davis, J.A. (2008). Mouse and Rat Anesthesia and Analgesia. Current Protocols in Neuroscience, 42(1): Supplement 42.
Emgård, M., Piao, J., Aineskog, H., Liu, J., Calzarossa, C., Odeberg, J., et al. (2014). Neuroprotective effects of human spinal cord-derived neural precursor cells after transplantation to the injured spinal cord. Experimental Neurology, 253(3): 138-145.
Estelami, N., KhalajKondori, M. and SheikhzadehHesari, A. (2016). Aqueous Extract of Frankincense Impedes Aluminum Chloride-Induced Memory Impairment in Adult Male Rats. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology Advances, 6(2): 839-845.
Karima, O., Riazi, G., Yousefi, R., Movahedi, AA. (2010). The enhancement effect of beta-boswellic acid on hippocampal neurites outgrowth and branching (an in vitro study). Neurological Sciences.
Ke, H., Yang, H., Zhao, Y., Li, T., Xin, D., Gai, C., Jiang, Z. and Wang, Z. (2023). 3D Gelatin Microsphere Scaffolds Promote Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Hemisection in Rats.
Khomejani Farahani, F., Fattahian, H.R., Asghari, A., and Mortazavi, P. (2021). Histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation of the effect of tacrolimus on nerve regeneration following crushed sciatic nerve in mice. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 10(59): 225-237.
Kim, Y., Kim, J., Ahn, M. and Shin, T. (2017). Lithium ameliorates rat spinal cord injury by suppressing glycogen synthase kinase-3β and activating heme oxygenase-1 . Anatomy & Cell Biology, 50(3): 207.
Kramer, J.L., Minhas, N.K., Jutzeler, C.R., Erskine, E.L., Liu, L.J. and Ramer, M.S. (2017). Neuropathic pain following traumatic spinal cord injury: Models, measurement, and mechanisms. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 95(6): 1295-1306.
Lee, Y.S., Cho, D.C., Kim, C.H., Han, I., Gil, E.Y. and Kim, K.T. (2019). Effect of curcumin on the inflammatory reaction and functional recovery after spinal cord injury in a hyperglycemic rat model. The Spine Journal, 19(12): 2025-2039.
Lipinski, M.M., Wu, J., Faden, A.I. and Sarkar, C. (2015). Function and Mechanisms of Autophagy in Brain and Spinal Cord Trauma. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 23(6): 565-577.
Mohajeri, D., Doustar, Y. and Rahmani, J. (2011). Antioxidant activity of Green tea extract against Isoniazid induced hepatotoxicity in the rats. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 5(2): 1221-1256. [In Persian]
Oveis, K., Riazi, Gh., Yousefi, R. and Moosavi Movahedi, A.A. (2010). The enhancement effect of beta-boswellic acid on hippocampal neurites outgrowth and branching (an in vitro study). Neurological sciences, 31(3): 315-520.
Parr, A.M., Kulbatski, I., Zahir, T., Wang, X., Yue, C., Keating, A. and Tator, C.H. (2008). Transplanted adult spinal cord–derived neural stem/progenitor cells promote early functional recovery after rat spinal cord injury. Neuroscience, 155(3): 760-770.
Pickelsimer, E., Eric, J.Sh. and Dulaney, A.W. (2010). Statewide Investigation of Medically Attended Adverse Health Conditions of Persons With Spinal Cord Injury. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 33(3): 221-231.
Schmidt, R.D. and Markovchick, V. (1992). Nontraumatic spinal cord compression. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 10(2): 189-199.
Shishiehgar, R., Habibiasl, B. and Ahmadizadeh, C. (2013). Study of sedative and anxiolytic effects of polar, semi-polar and nonpolar fractions of Artemisia Aucheri extract compared with diazepam in rats. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 7(1): 1744-1821 [In Perisan]
Siddiqui, M.Z. (2011). Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 73(3): 255-261.
Wang, D., Gao, Q., Wang, T., Kan, Zh., Li, X., et al. (2020). Green tea polyphenols and epigallocatechin-3-gallate protect against perfluorodecanoic acid induced liver damage and inflammation in mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Food Research International, 127:108628
Wang, Y., Xiong, Z.L., Ma, X.L., Zhou, C., Huo, M.H., Jiang, X.W. and Yu, W.H. (2022). Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid promotes sciatic nerve repair after injury: molecular mechanism. Neural Regeneration Research, 17(12): 2778-2784.
Xu, B.P., Yao, M., Li, Z.J., Tian, Z.R., Ye, J., Wang, Y.J. and Cui, X.J. (2020). Neurological recovery and antioxidant effects of resveratrol in rats with spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis. Neural Regeneration Research, 15(3): 482-490.
Ye, Y., Feng, T.T., Prng, Y.R., Hu, SH.Q. and Xu,T. (2018). The treatment of spinal cord injury in rats using bone marrow-derived neural-like cells induced by cerebrospinal fluid. Neuroscience Letters, 666: 85-91.
Zhang, Q., Yang, H., An, J., Zhang, R., Chen, B. and Hao, D.J. (2016). Therapeutic Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Spinal Cord Injury: A Promising Supplementary Treatment in Future. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016: 1-18.
Zhou, C., Wang, Y., Zhang, Q., Zhou, G., Ma, X., Jiang, X. and Yu, W. (2023). Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in Schwann cells to reduce oxidative stress and promote sciatic nerve injury repair. Planta Medica, Article in
