Neuroprotective effect of guggulipid alone and in combination with aspirin on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats

This study was designed to test the pre-treatment doses of guggulipid (50 mg/kg), aspirin (100 mg/kg) per orally and co-administration of both drugs for 28 days followed by middle cerebral artery occlusion - a model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Middle cerebral artery was occluded for two hours, followed by reperfusion for 22 hours for the induction of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Neurobehavioral tests like locomotor activity and grip strength tests were performed before sacrificing the animal. After neurobehavioral tests, the animals were sacrificed for the measurement of infarction areas and biochemical estimations in brain. Locomotor activity and grip strength were significantly improved in guggulipid and aspirin pre-treated rats. Guggulipid and aspirin pre-treatment reduced the infarction areas as compared with middle cerebral occluded (MCAO) rats. An elevation of nitrite, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), acetylcholine esterase activity (AchE) and reduction in antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and catalase were observed following MCAO. Pre-treatment with guggulipid and aspirin caused a reduction in TBARS and nitrite levels, AchE, but elevated GSH level, SOD and catalase activities as compared with MCAO rats. The protective effects observed in this study were due to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperlipidemic properties of guggulipid. The protective effect of guggulipid in cerebral ischemia, that it may have a role in reversing the symptoms and may offer significant neuroprotection in stroke.