Evaluation of the Therapeutic Effects of Thymbra Spicata L. var spicata and Cyclotrichium Origanifolium in Spinal Cord Injury: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Aim: Secondary tissue damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation in spinal cord injury complicates treatment and highlights the need for novel therapeutic agents. This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of Thymbra spicata L. var. spicata (zahter) and Cyclotrichium origanifolium (mountain mint) extracts in an experimental SCI model. Material and Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to six groups: control, zahter, mountain mint, trauma, trauma+zahter, and trauma+mountain mint. Spinal cord injury was induced in the trauma groups. Blood was collected via cardiac puncture, and spinal tissues were obtained for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Serum MDA, TAS, and TOS levels were measured biochemically. VEGF and GFAP expressions were assessed immunohistochemically. Results: MDA and TOS levels decreased, while TAS levels increased in the treated groups compared to the trauma group, but these changes were not found statistically significant. Histopathological evaluation showed prominent neuronal degeneration, inflammation, and vascular dilatation in the trauma group, which were alleviated in the treatment groups. Greater histological improvement was observed in the trauma+mountain mint group compared to trauma+zahter (p<0.001). VEGF and GFAP expressions were elevated in the trauma group but statistically significantly reduced in the treatment groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Zahter and mountain mint extracts exhibited therapeutic potential against trauma-induced spinal cord injury by modulating inflammation and tissue damage. Mountain mint was found to be more effective in terms of histological and immunohistochemical outcomes.

Keywords

• Antioxidants
• spinal cord injury
• oxidative stress
• plant extracts
• trauma

Omurilik Yaralanmasında Thymbra Spicata L. var spicata ve Cyclotrichium Origanifolium’un Terapötik Etkilerinin Değerlendirilmesi: Deneysel Bir Çalışma

Öz

Amaç: Omurilik yaralanmasında gelişen oksidatif stres ve inflamasyona bağlı ikincil doku hasarı, tedaviyi güçleştirmekte ve yeni terapötik ajanlara olan ihtiyacı artırmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, deneysel bir omurilik yaralanması modelinde Thymbra spicata L. var. spicata (zahter) ve Cyclotrichium origanifolium (dağ nanesi) ekstraktlarının terapötik etkilerini değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Otuz altı erkek Wistar Albino sıçanı rastgele altı gruba ayrıldı: kontrol, zahter, dağ nanesi, travma, travma+zahter ve travma+dağ nanesi. Travma gruplarında omurilik yaralanması oluşturuldu. Kan örnekleri kardiyak ponksiyon yoluyla toplandı ve histopatolojik ve immünohistokimyasal analizler için omurilik dokuları elde edildi. Serum MDA, TAS ve TOS düzeyleri biyokimyasal yöntemlerle analiz edildi. VEGF ve GFAP ekspresyonları immünohistokimyasal yöntemlerle değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Tedavi edilen gruplarda, travma grubuna kıyasla MDA ve TOS düzeyleri azalmış, TAS düzeyi ise artmıştır; ancak bu değişiklikler istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Histopatolojik analizlerde, travma grubunda belirgin nöronal dejenerasyon, inflamasyon ve vasküler genişleme gözlenmiş; tedavi gruplarında ise bu bulgularda düzelme olduğu görülmüştür. Travma+dağ nanesi grubunda travma+zahter grubuna göre daha fazla histolojik iyileşme gözlenmiştir (p<0,001). VEGF ve GFAP ekspresyonları travma grubunda yüksek iken, tedavi gruplarında ise istatistiksel olarak anlamlı şekilde azalmıştır (p<0,001). Sonuç: Zahter ve dağ nanesi ekstraktları, travmaya bağlı omurilik yaralanmasında inflamasyon ve doku hasarı mekanizmaları üzerine etki ederek terapötik potansiyel göstermiştir. Dağ nanesi, histolojik ve immünohistokimyasal parametreler açısından daha etkili bulunmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Antioksidanlar
• omurilik yaralanması
• oksidatif stres
• bitki ekstraktları
• travma

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