Investigation into Regeneration Effects of Ethyl acetate and N-butanol Fractions through the Evaluation of NGF Gene Expression

Subject Areas : Journal of Chemical Health Risks

Fereshteh Naderiallaf ¹ , Maryam Tehranipour ^{2 *} , Farnaz Soheily ³

1 - MSc in Cell and Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
2 - Department of Biology, Ma.C., Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
3 - MSc in Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

Received: 2024-01-12 Accepted : 2025-03-10 Published : 2025-04-19

Keywords: NGF gene, Sciatic nerve regeneration, Compression, Echinacea purpurea,

Abstract :

Neural Growth Factor (NGF) is important for the maintenance and survival of sympathetic nerve cells; it also stimulates Schwann cell migration and reduces degeneration, enhances healing after environmental damage, and increases angiogenesis. Echinacea purpurea is reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study examined NGF gene expression changes after sciatic nerve compression in rats, in the presence of Echinacea purpurea extract. After Echinacea purpurea Soxhlet hydroalcoholic extraction, different fractions were prepared from it. 36 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups including control, compression and treatment A (compression + hydroalcoholic extract in dose of 75 mg kg^-1), treatment B (compression + ethyl acetate fraction in dose of 75 mg kg^-1), Treatments C (compression + N butanol fraction in dose of 75 mg kg^-1) and D (compression + water phase with dose of 75 mg kg^-1), In these groups, the sciatic nerve right leg was compressed. The extract was injected intraperitoneally on two occasions. A biopsy was taken from the spinal cord segments L4-L6 on day 28, and finally, NGF gene expression changes were analyzed by ANOVA and t-test software (p<0.05). Results indicate that comparing gene expression between control and compression groups and the compression group showed a significant difference with the hydroalcoholic and N butanol groups and the aqueous phase (p=0.000). However, there was no significant difference between the compression group and the ethyl acetate group (p=0.6). Results show that Echinacea purpurea hydroalcoholic extract improves nerve regeneration via a significant increase in NGF gene expression.

References:

1. Thanos P.K., Okajima S., Terzis J.K., 1998. Ultrastructure and cellular biology of nerve regeneration. J Reconstr Microsurg. United States. 14(4), 23–36.
2. Marandi M., Mowla S.J., Tavallaei M., Yaghoobi M.M., Jafarnejad S.M., 2007. Proprotein convertases 1 and 2 (PC1 and PC2) are expressed in neurally differentiated rat bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs). Neurosci Lett. 42, 198–203.
3. Sieck G.C., Mantilla C.B., 2009. Role of neurotrophins in recovery of phrenic motor function following spinal cord injury. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. Elsevier. 16(9), 218–25.
4. Montazeri F., Esmaeili A., Miroliaei I., Moshtaghian S.J., 2011. Dual Role, Interactions and Signaling Pathways of p75 NTR in the Nervous System. Genetics in the 3rd Millennium.
5. Unsain N., Nuñez N., Anastasía A., Mascó D.H., 2008. Status epilepticus induces a TrkB to p75 neurotrophin receptor switch and increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor interaction with p75 neurotrophin receptor: an initial event in neuronal injury induction. Neuroscience. Elsevier. 15(4), 978–93.
6. Nazemieh H., Razavi SM., Asnaashari S., Talebpour AH., Ghahramani MA., Imani Y., 2009. Chemical composition of the essential oil of Nepeta menthoides Boiss & Buhse. Pharmaceutical Sciences. 14(4), 283-289.
7. Taghizadeh M., Jarvandi S., Yasa N., 2002. A review of Echinacea. J Med Plants. Journal of Medicinal Plants. 1,13–26.
8. Sc FMMM., D KJP., D TMP., Rasouli B., 2013. The Neuroprotective Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Nigella Sativa on Alpha Motoneurons Degeneration After Sciatic Nerve Injury in Rats. Arak Med Univ J. 16, 79–86.
9. Tehranipour M., Ghadamyari T., 2010. The effects of root aquatic extract of Salvia staminea on neuronal density of alpha motoneurons in spinal cord anterior horn after sciatic nerve compression in rats. J Biol Sci. ANSInet, Asian Network for Scientific Information. 10, 48–52.
10. MrNasir F., Aghayi H.N.M., 2013. The role of lipocalin 2 molecule in processing damage and restoration sciatica nerveo. Sci Mag Med Univ Islam Repub Iran. 10, 198–206.
11. Naderi Allaf F., Tehranipour M., Nejad Shahrokh Abadi K., 2017. Investigation into Regeneration Mechanism of Hydroalcoholic Lavender (Lavandula officianalis) Extract through the Evaluation of NT3 Gene Expression after Sciatic Nerve Compression in Rats. J Arak Univ Med Sci. 20, 100–120.
12. Moro C., Palacios I., Lozano M., D’Arrigo M., Guillamón E., Villares A., 2012. Anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extracts from edible mushrooms in LPS activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Food Chem. Elsevier. 130, 350–5.
13. Ferrer I., Planas A.M., 2003. Signaling of cell death and cell survival following focal cerebral ischemia: life and death struggle in the penumbra. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 62, 329–39.
14. Barros L., Venturini BA., Baptista P., Estevinho L.M., Ferreira I.C.F.R., 2008. Chemical composition and biological properties of Portuguese wild mushrooms: a comprehensive study. J Agric Food Chem. 56–62.
15. Pan H., Hu X., Jacobowitz DM., Chen C., McDonough J., Van Shura K., 2012. Alpha-linolenic acid is a potent neuroprotective agent against soman-induced neuropathology. Neurotoxicology. Elsevie. 33(12), 19–29.
16. Jamalpoor Z., Asgari AR., Nourani MR., 2012. Skeletal muscle tissue engineering: Present and future. Journal Mil Med. 14, 77–84.
17. Fu L., Doreswamy V., Prakash R., 2014. The biochemical pathways of central nervous system neural degeneration in niacin deficiency. Neural Regen Res. 9, 15-19.
18. Sumathi T., Christinal J., 2016. Neuroprotective effect of Portulaca oleraceae ethanolic extract ameliorates methylmercury induced cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress in cerebellum and cortex of rat brain. Biol Trace Elem Res. Springer. 17(2), 155–65.
19. Nathan C., 2002. Points of control in inflammation. Nature. Nature Publishing Group. 420, 846–52.
20. Bone K., Phyto D., 1997. Echinacea: When should it be used. Alt Med Rev. 2, 451–458.
21. Bauer R., Chemistry., 1997. analysis and immunological investigations of Echinacea phytopharmaceuticals. Immunomodulatory agents from plants. Springer. 41–88.
22. Gordon T., Tyreman N., Raji M.A., 2011. The basis for diminished functional recovery after delayed peripheral nerve repair. J Neurosci. 31(53), 25–34.