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Background and Objective: After axotomy or the compersion the nerve, the death of spinal cord nerves cell body occur. Compersion is one of the factors causing the degeneration of the spinal cord cell body. This degeneration is due to the reversed factors of the damaged area that have reached to cell body. Prosopis farcta is a member of leguminosae family and mimosaceae subfamily. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of pod prosopis farcta plant, on neuronal density of anterior horn following sciatic nerve compression in rat. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed on thirty male wistar rats with the age of about three months years and 300-350 gr weight. The animals were divided into five groups. A) control, B) compression, C) compression + treatment with 25 mg/kg ethanolic extract, D) compression + treatment with 50 mg/kg ethanolic extract and E: compression + treatment with 75 mg/kg ethanolic extract. After anesthetizing the rats, the muscle of thigh was splited and the sciatic nerve was kept under compersion, the muscle and skin were stitched subsequently. In the experimental groups the alchoholic extract of the prosopis farcta was injected to the rats with 25mg/kg, 50mg/kg, 75mg/kg dosage by the intrapritoneal way weekly. After 28 days of compresion, the rat, were put under the perfusion method and some samples were taken of their lumbar spinal cord and after tissue processes, 7 micron slide were provided of the samples serially. Slides were stained by toluidin blue, and some photos were taken and neuronal density of the alpha motoneurons alpha anterior horn of the spinal cord was calculated by the disector method. Data were analyzed using Minitab software, ANOVA and t- tests. Results: The neuronal density in the compression group (628±29.7) was decreased significantly in compare to the control group (1562±35.3) (P<0.05). The neuronal density in group C (1070±91), increased significantly in compare to the compression group (p<0.05). The neuronal density in group D (1117±62.8) and group E (1669±86.5) significantly increased in compare to the compression group (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that alchoholic extract of the prosopis farcta has a neuroprotective effect following sciatic nerve compression in rats.

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Background and Objective: Compression or sciatic axotomy induces neuronal death in spinal cord alpha motor neuron. This study was carried out to determine the effect of Nigella sativa seed alcoholic extract on spinal motor neuron density in anterior horn after sciatic nerve compression in rat. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 24 wistar rats were divided into four groups A: control, B: compression, C: compression+treatment with 75 mg/kg alcoholic extract, D: compression+treatment with 50 mg/kg alcoholic extract. In control group muscle was exposed without any injury to sciatic nerve. In compression and treatment group, the right leg sciatic nerve compressed for 60 sec. After four weeks of post operation, L2-L4 and S1, S2 and S3 segments of spinal cord were sampled, processed, serially sectioned and stained with toluidine blue. The number of alpha motor neurons was counted using dissector method. Results: Neuronal density in compression group (650±32) significantly decreased in comparison with control group (1803±24). Neuronal density in C treated group (1581±47) and D treated group (1543±49) significantly increased compare to compression group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Alcoholic extract of Nigella sativa seed increased the density of alpha motor neurons in spinal cord after sciatic nerve compression in rats.

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Background and Objective: Transaction or laceration and compression of peripheral nerves in accidents and different circumstances resulting Wallerian degeneration which go back to perikaryon through retrograde reaction. This study was done to determine the effect of alchohlic extract of Achillea wilhelmsii on density of motor neurons of spinal cord after sciatic nerve compression in male Wistar rats.

Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male wistar rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups: group A: control, group B: compression, group C: compression and treatment with 50 mg/kg/bw of ethanolic extract, group D: compression and treatment with 75 mg/kg/bw of ethanolic extract and group E: compression and treatment with 100 mg/kg/bw of ethanolic extract of Achillea wilhelmsii. After anesthetizing rats, skin and sub cutaneous muscles of right thigh were cut to sciatic nerve appears. Then, compression of sciatic nerve was done by a surgical forceps for 60 seconds, followed by suturing muscle and skin. Extract injection was done intraperitoneally for three weeks after compression. Group A and B were received normal saline. 28 days after compression, samples were prepared from lumbar spinal cord under perfusion method and histological sections were provided serially. After staining, density of motor neurons was calculated by dissector method.

Results: Neuronal density in the compression group (707±38.56) significantly reduced in compare to control group (1740±49.81), (P<0.05). Neuronal density in group C (1208±57.58), group D (1370±33.91), and group E (1437±64.46) significantly increased in compare to compression group (P<0.05), respectively.

Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Achillea wilhelmsii increased neuronal density of rat's spinal cord after compression of sciatic nerve.

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Background and Objective: The degeneration of motor neuron in anterior horn of spinal cord can be caused by compression. Hyssopus officinalis of Laminacea family demonstrate antioxidant and anti-inflammation effects. This study was done to evaluate the effect of alcoholic extract of Hyssopus officinalis leaves, on motor neuron in spinal cord after sciatic nerve compression in male rats.

Methods: In this experimental research, 60 male wistar rats were randomly allocated into six groups including; control, compression, and compression + treatment (25, 50, 75, 100 mg/kg/bw). In order to induce compression, sciatic nerve of right leg was exposed to compression for 60 second using locker pincers. Extract injected intraperitoneally in the first and second week after compression. 28 days after compression under profusion method, the lumber spinal cord was sampled. The density of motor neurons (9-20 micron) was measured using dissector and stereological method.

Results: Density of neurons in compression group (611±34) significantly reduced compared to the control group (1658±30) (P<0.05). Moreover, neuronal density was significantly increased in
25 (1179±22), 50 (1260±20), 75 (1350±15) and 100 (1120±10) mg/kg/bw doses in treatment groups in compared to the compression group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Alcoholic extract of Hyssopus officinalis leaves exhibite neuroprotective effect on neurons in anterior horn of the spinal cord after injury. This effect probably is related to the antioxidant and anti inflammation properties in alcoholic extract of Hyssopus officinalis, dose dependly.

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Background and Objective: Neurotrophic factors increase neuron survival and growth. In addition their expression is altered in response to nerve injury. This study was done to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of n-butanol, ethylacetate, aqueous and hydro-alcoholic fractions of Anthemis nobilis extracts through nerve growth factor (NGF) gene expression after sciatic nerve injury in rats.

Methods: In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 6 groups including control group, compression, compression + hydro-alcoholic extract, compression + n-butanol, compression + ethyl acetate fraction and compression + aqueous fraction with dose of 75 mg/kg/bw, respectively. Hydro-alcoholic, aqueous, n-butanol and ethyl acetate extract of Anthemis nobilis from aerial parts was prepared by soxhlet method. In control group, after anesthetizing the animals, the muscle was cut at the site of sciatic nerve without damaging and in compression and treatment group, the right sciatic nerve was compressed for 60 sec. The extract first time was injected intraperitoneally after nerve compression and the second was performed 7 days later. After 28 days, samples were prepared from the lumbar portion of spinal cord and cDNA was synthesized and total RNA was extracted. The changes in NGF gene expression evaluated using Δct and Real Time PCR methods.

Results: NGF gene expression significantly reduced in the compression group in compare to control (P<0.05). The expression of NGF significantly increased in treated groups including hydro-alcoholic extract, n-butanol, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions in compare to compression group (P<0.05). The expression of NGF was more in hydro-alcoholic extract treated group in comparision with other factions treated groups.

Conclusion: Neuroprotective effect of of the aerial parts of Anthemis nobilis may be due to increase of NGF gene expression.