ABSTRACT
Spinal cord injury stimulates an inflammatory reaction that causes substantial secondary damage inside the injured spinal tissue. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of oleuropein on traumatized spinal cord. Rats were randomly divided into four groups of 7 rats each as follows: Sham-operated group, trauma group, and oleuropein treatment groups [20 mg/kg, ip, immediately and 1 hour after spinal cord injury]. Spinal cord samples were taken 24 hours after injury and studied for immunohistochemistry of tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], interleukin-1beta [IL-1beta], nitrotyrosine, inducible nitric-oxide synthase [iNOS], cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2], and poly[ADP-ribose] polymerase [PARP]. Attenuated TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, nitrotyrosine, iNOS, COX-2, and PARP expression could be detected in the oleuropein-treated rats. Oleuropein modulates inflammatory reactions following spinal cord injury