Experimental investigation of treatment effect of Thymbra spicata L. var spicata and Cyclotrichium origanifolium (Mountain mint) on traumatic spinal cord injury in rats

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic and protective effects of Thymbra spicata L. var. spicata (zahter) and Cyclotrichium origanifolium (mountain mint) on the damage mechanisms in spinal cord injury. Materials and Methods: 36 Wistar Albino male rats with an average weight of 280 g were used. They were divided into 6 groups, with 6 in each group. Group 1; control, Group 2; zahter, Group 3; mountain mint, Goup 4; trauma, Group 5; trauma + zahter Group 6; trauma + mountain mint. Trauma was created by applying weight reduction method (Allen) on the spinal cord in trauma groups. At the end of one week, all rats were sacrificed after blood samples were taken by cardiac puncture under ketamine+ xylazin anesthesia, and spinal cord tissue was taken. Histopathological and immunohistochemical changes in the tissue were examined. In immunohistochemical examination; Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), N-Cadherin, S-100 protein were examined. Biochemically, MDA, TAS, TOS values were measured in serum. Results: As a result of the histopathological examination of the spinal cord tissue according to the groups, degeneration of multipolar neuron cells, disruption of tissue integrity in the canalis central, substantia grisea/alba regions were observed in the trauma group.It was observed that spinal injury healed to a great extent in the trauma+zahter and trauma+mountain mint groups, the spinal cord returned to its normal histological appearance, but the recovery was higher in the trauma+mountain mint group compared to the trauma+zahter group. In the immunohistochemical examination, the expression of VEGF, GFAP was observed intensely in the trauma group, while a decrease was observed in the expression levels in trauma+zahter and trauma+mountain mint. It was observed that the healing effect of mountain mint was more intense from the extracts with positive effects on neuron damage. Mountain mint and zahter had no effect on N-cadherin expression. S100 protein expression was observed mild in the trauma group. S100 expression was more intense in the trauma+zahter group and the trauma+mountain mint group.In biochemical parameters, serum MDA and TOS levels increased in the trauma group compared to the other groups (p< 0.05), and decreased in the trauma+zahter and trauma+mountain mint groups, although it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).While the serum TAS level increased in the trauma group, it was found to decrease in the trauma+zahter and trauma+mountain mint groups, although it was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). Conclusion: It has been determined that mountain mint and zahter partially reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response after trauma in spinal cord injury, and mountain mint is more effective than zahter.