Evaluation of the efficacy of aged garlic extract in reducing neuronal damage in rats with spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury

Objective: Aged garlic extract (AGE) is known to improve human well-being via its anti-inflammatory/antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible pathological, neurological, biochemical, and ultrastructural benefits of AGE in a rat model of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (I-R). Methods: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: I-R, sham (no I-R), and AGE (I-R+AGE), with 10 rats in each group. Neurologically, the rats were assessed with the help of the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scoring system. Spinal cord tissue samples were collected for ultrastructural and neurological evaluations. Oxidative markers (malondialdehyde and nitric oxide), antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase), inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 and TNF-alpha), and caspase-3 were measured. Results: The AGE group had higher BBB scores in comparison to the I-R group (p<0.05). The AGE group pathologically demonstrated a decreased level of edema of the spinal cord and ischemia (p<0.05). The ultrastructural findings revealed that the tissue structure was preserved in the AGE group. The levels of oxidative markers in the I-R group were higher than those of the other two groups, while the levels of antioxidant enzymes were higher in the AGE group than in the I-R group and the difference between the groups was significant (p<0.05). The sham group and AGE group differed significantly in terms of levels of antioxidant enzymes (p<0.05). Moreover, the administration of AGE reduced caspase-3 activity and inflammatory cytokines in comparison to the I-R group (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study shows the significant neuroprotective effects of AGE on the pathological, neurological, biochemical, and ultrastructural variables of a rat model of I-R injury of the spinal cord.