Potential Anti-inflammatory Activity of Brown Propolis Against Brain Ischemia Damage in Mice

Inflammation plays a major part in brain ischemia. Propolis is a polyphenol-rich hive product with a set of pharmaceutical properties.

This research aims to investigate the impact of water extracts of brown propolis (WEPs) on stroke outcomes and inflammatory responses in a rat model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

This experimental study was conducted in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2017. WEPs were experimentally prepared from two regions in Iran. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and Folin–Ciocalteu assays were used to determine chemical portrayal and the total polyphenol content, respectively. A total of 66 male adult mice were divided randomly into the surgical sham, control (vehicle-treated), and four WEPs-treated animal groups. WEPs-treated groups received doses of 100 and 200 (mg/kg, IP) four times, and their behavioral tests, brain edema, infarct volume, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level were evaluated.

The samples were not significantly different in terms of the concentration of the total polyphenol content. Compared to the control, WEPs led to a substantial decrease in the TNF-α level (P<0.05) as well as a subsequent reduction in the brain edema and infarct volume (P<0.001) in all treatment groups. Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in neurological deficits and sensory-motor impairments level (P<0.05).

According to the study findings, WEPs reduce brain ischemia damage, perhaps by exerting a neuroprotective effect on stroke-induced neuroinflammatory responses