Protective effect of naringin against ischemic reperfusion cerebral injury: Possible neurobehavioral, biochemical and cellular alterations in rat brain

The present study was conducted with an aim to explore the possible role of naringin against ischemia reperfusion induced-neurobehavioral alterations, oxidative damage, cellular and histopathological alterations in cortex, striatum, hippocampus areas of brain. Male Wistar rats (200–220 g) were subjected to bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h to induce reperfusion (I/R) cerebral injury. Naringin (50, 100 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered for 7 days continuously before animals were subjected to ischemia reperfusion injury. Various behavioral tests [locomotor activity, neurological score (inclined beam test), transfer latency, resistance to lateral push] and biochemical parameters (lipid peroxidation, nitrite level, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity), mitochondrial enzyme dysfunctions (Complex I, II, III and IV) in cortex, striatum, hippocampus of brain and histopathological alterations were assessed subsequently. Seven days naringin (50 and 100 mg/kg) treatment significantly improved neurobehavioral alterations (improved locomotor activity, inclined beam walking and reduced resistance to lateral push, transfer latency) as compared to control ischemia reperfusion. Naringin (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) treatment significantly attenuated oxidative damage as indicated by reduced lipid peroxidation, nitrite concentration, restored reduced glutathione and catalase activity and mitochondrial enzyme activities in cortex, striatum, cerebellum as compared to control (ischemia reperfusion) animals. In addition, naringin treatment significantly reversed histopathological alterations in cortex, striatum, hippocampus areas as compared to control (ischemia reperfusion). Present study suggests the protective effect of naringin and its therapeutic potential against ischemia reperfusion induced and related behavioral alterations in rats.