PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TREWIA NUDIFLORA AGAINST ISCHEMIC STROKE IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS

Ischemic hypoxic brain injury often causes irreversible brain damage. Lack of efficient and widely applicable pharmacological treatments for ischemic stroke has necessitated attention towards novel traditional medicines. Traditionally, the leaves of Trewia nudiflora is used for various diseases, including blood and neuronal disorders. To evaluate the cerebroprotective effect of Ethanol extract of leaves of Trewia nudiflora (EETN) against the global model of ischemia in rats. In the present study, the animals were pre-treated with EETN for a period of 1week (200 and 400 mg/kg) p.o. The animals were anaesthetized with thiopentone sodium (45mg/kg) and stroke was induced by Bilateral Carotid Artery Occlusion (BCAO) for defined period with aneurism clamps placed on both arteries and later (10 minutes) clamps were removed to allow reperfusion and animals were then returned to their cages. After 24 hours of reperfusion, the animal behaviors were evaluated by various methods such as behaviour pattern, Juvenile recognition, Motor activity, rotar rod test, Morris water maze test in stroke induced animals. The treatment was continued for another week after surgery with EETN. The present studies suggest that, there was a decrease in the escape latency in water maze in stroke induced (negative control) group. The group treated with 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg EETN showed significant (P<0.01) improvement in the behaviour pattern, and spatial learning, which was confirmed in trial sessions in water maze test when compared with the negative control group. In conclusion, Ethanolextract of leaves of Trewia nudiflora produced cerebroprotective effects in global cerebral ischemia as evident from reduction in behavioral score, hyper locomotion and neuronal damage.