Hypericum perforatum ekstresinin siyatik sinir hasarı ile indüklenen periferik nöropati üzerindeki düzenleyici etkisi: fareler üzerinde deneysel bir çalışma

Purpose: The effect of Hypericum perforatum (HP), which is a medicinal plant, on sciatic nerve injury-induced peripheral neuropathy has been less studied so far. The current experimental study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective and antinociceptive effects of Hypericum perforatum (HP) extract on sciatic nerve injury-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 18 Balb/C albino mice were allocated equally into three groups. The first group was determined as controls, and no procedure was performed on these mice. Neuropathy was generated by the partial sciatic nerve ligation method on mice allocated to the second and third groups. Mice in the third group received HP extract at a dose of 70 mg/kg per day for fourteen days. Nociception (cold allodynia) was evaluated using the cold plate test at the end of the experimental period. Tumor necrosis factor –αlpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in plasma; inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax levels in sciatic nerve were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Results: Cold plate latencies (sec) of the neuropathy + HP, neuropathy, and control groups were 8.33 ± 0.67, 5.17 ± 0.60, and 13 ± 0.73, respectively. Plasma TNF-α, IL-6 levels, and sciatic nerve iNOS, COX-2, NF-κB, caspase-3, and Bax levels were significantly decreased after HP supplementation. Bcl-2 levels of the neuropathy + HP, neuropathy, and control groups were 9.92 ± 0.71, 5.37 ± 0.53, and 13.65 ± 0.68, respectively. Conclusion: HP has improved oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic responses, as well as cytokine levels in plasma and sciatic nerves of mice. It has been concluded that HP provided neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive effects in experimental mice with sciatic nerve injury models, which is suggested to guide future studies on neuropathic pain management.