Anti-edema effect of epigallocatechin gallate on spinal cord injury in rats

Recent studies indicated that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) had neuroprotective effects on spinal cord injury (SCI).The current study was performed to determine the anti-edema effect of EGCG after SCI in rats. EGCG (100 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to rats immediately following SCI. It was found that EGCG (100 mg/kg) could significantly reduce spinal cord water content. In addition, EGCG (100 mg/kg) significantly reduced the expression of aquaporin-4(AQP4) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) level at 24, 48 and 72 h after injury, but it did not have this effect at 12 h after injury. The changes of AQP4 and GFAP protein induced by EGCG (100 mg/kg) treatment were accompanied by a reduction of spinal cord edema. Our results indicated that EGCG (100 mg/kg) could reduce spinal cord edema after SCI, which could be correlated with the down-regulation the expression of AQP4 and GFAP protein level after SCI.