Effect of Saponin on Cerebral Edema Rate in An Animal Model of Stroke

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are the main causes of cerebral ischemia. Saponin with steroid or triterpenoid compounds with a sugar part has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of saponin on cerebral edema, Bax gene expression level, and ischemic neurological defects.

In this experimental study, 24 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sham, stroke, and stroke+saponin. Rats in the stroke+saponin group received intravenous injection of saponin (3mg/kg) 30 minutes before cerebral ischemia. Each group was divided into two subgroups: brain edema (n=5) and gene expression level investigation (n=3). Cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion model. After 24 hrs, we investigated neurological deficits resulting from ischemia (Kruskal-Wallis test), the degree of brain edema, and Bax gene expression levels in the cortex, piriform cortex-amygdala, striatum, and hippocampus (one-way ANOVA).

Findings indicated a significant decrease in the score of neurological defects resulting from ischemia, the amount of cerebral edema, and the level of Bax gene expression in stroke+saponin group (P<0.05).

This study showed that saponin pretreatment in rats with ischemia-reperfusion injury can be effective in reducing the damage caused by cerebral ischemia.