Protective Effect of Gum Arabic on Spinal Cord Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Rats

Gum arabic (GA) contains anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds and protects tissues.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of GA on the spinal cord’s motor neurons after ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury.

Thirty-five male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were randomly divided into five groups: Intact, sham surgery, control (4 mL/kg distilled water+I/R), low-dose gum arabic (GA 1 g/kg+I-R), and high-dose gum arabic (GA 4 g/kg+I-R). In the experimental groups, oral gavages’ treatment was performed for 21 days before surgery. Three days after I-R, the rats were evaluated for neurological function, biochemical, and histological analysis.

The mean motor deficit index (MDI) in the GA groups versus the control group was significantly lower (P<0.01). About 72 hours after I-R, the mean plasma level of superoxide dismutase and total anti-oxidant capacity in the GA 4 g/kg group were higher than the control group (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the plasma level of catalase between the GA 4 g/kg and the control groups (P<0.05). Approximately 67% of the motor neurons were destroyed in the control group, while this ratio was about 18% in the GA 4 g/kg group.

This study showed that GA (4 g/kg) protects the motor neurons of the spinal cord against ischemia-reperfusion injury.