Investigating Neuroprotective Effect of Leave of Solanum Nigrum L Ethyl acetate Fraction on Motoneurons Degeneration Rate in Rats

Axonal injury is followed by choromatolises in cell body of neurons. Peripheral nervous system damages enter to the cell body of alpha neurons retrogradely and cause spinal degeneration. Therefore، in this study، the Solanum nigrum L extract was utilized in living bodies. Since extracted lipids from the leaves of this plant has analgesic، antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects، this study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of Solanum nigrum L ethyl acetate fraction on alpha motoneurons degeneration rate after sciatic nerve injury in rats. 48 wistar rats with average body weight of 250 to 300 gr were divided randomly to six groups (control، compression، compression+ extract 25، 50، 75، 100 mg/kg). In the treated group، in addition to compression، extract was injected intraperitoneally too (2time، every week، I. P). After four weeks، lumbar segments of spinal cord L2-L4 were removed، processed، serially sectioned and were stained with Toluidine blue. The alpha motoneurons were counted by dissector method. Totally، neuron density of the control group، compression group and 25، 50، 75 and 100 treatment groups involve 1739، 781، 1189، 1418، 1630 and 1030، respectively. The results show a significant reduction for neuron density in compression group in comparison with the control group، (p <0/05). In all treatment groups، neuronal density has a significant increase compared to the compression group، but this was not observed for100mg/Kg group، (p <0/05). Results showed that ethyl acetate fraction with dose of 75 mg/kg had the most neuroprotective effect on anterior horn motoneurons of spinal cord after sciatic nerve injury in rats which indicate the antioxidant and anti inflammation activity of Solanum nigrum.