Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Sepideh Khaksar ¹
• Azra Saboora ¹
• Zahra Jahanbakhshi ¹
• Samira Vahidi ²
• Zahra Chekidehkhoon ¹

¹ Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Physiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Stroke, as the most important cause of physical disability in the world, imposes many financial and psychological costs on the patient, family, and society. Recently, the attention of many researchers has been attracted to the use of more effective components with less side effects such as medicinal plants. Dracocephalum Kotschyi Boiss can be a suitable candidate for the present study due to its neuroprotective properties. 35 male rats were divided into five main groups: control, the methanolic extract of Dracocephalum Kotschyi Boiss-received group, ischemia, and ischemia+extract-received group. Biochemical parameters of blood serum and animal weight were measured in the control and extract-received group. In the ischemia group, the rats underwent into cerebral ischemia induction surgery without receiving any treatment. The extract, as a pretreatment, was administrated in the ischemia + extract-received group with a dose of 50 mg/kg orally for five days. Then, brain ischemia surgery was performed. Eventually, the groups undergoing ischemia surgery were evaluated using behavioral tests, infarct volume, and cerebral edema. The results showed that the extract had no harmful effect on the biochemical factors of blood serum. In addition, the extract reduced neurological defects, infarct volume and cerebral edema in the cortex area. Based on the results of the present study, it can be stated that the administration of the extract of Dracocephalum Kotschyi Boiss attenuated some of the damages caused by cerebral ischemia. Therefore, we can hope for this natural plant compound as a suitable candidate in the pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords

• Methanolic Extract of Dracocephalum Kotschyi Boiss
• Cerebral Ischemia
• Biochemical Parameters
• Infarction
• Brain Edema

Main Subjects

• Physiology