[Immunomodulation with epigallocatechin gallate in injured spinal cord of rats]

ABSTRACT

Spinal cord injury [SCI] stimulates an immune response that causes substantial secondary damage inside the injured spinal tissue. To determine the immunomodulatory effects of epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG] on traumatized spinal cord of rats. Rats were randomly divided into three groups of 7 rats each as follows negative control group, positive control group, and experimental group [50mg/kg EGCG, i.p., immediately after SCI]. Spinal cord samples were collected 24 hours after injury and studied for immunohistochemistry of CD4, TNF- alpha, IL-1 beta, iNOS and COX-2. Epigallocatechin gallate attenuated immunohistochemical expression of immune-related response criteria. On the basis of these findings, we propose that EGCG may be effective in protecting the rat spinal cord from secondary damage by modulating of immune responses