Abstract:
Spinal cord injury is a source of significant disabilities that needs the combination of different strategies to obtain functional recovery results. In this regard some medicinal plants also have activities in the central nervous system and their essential oils, product of the secondary metabolism, are effective in different disorders of this system. Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit (HS) is a plant thatproduces essential oil with antiinflammatory, antioxidant andneuroprotective activity. Thus,this study analyzed the cellularplasticity of spinal cord cells inthe presence of sciatic nerve-conditionedmedium (SNCM) and theaddition of HS essential oil. Cellmorphology was assessed over 96hours, and immunocytochemistryanalyses were conducted for Glialfibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)and Neuronal Nuclear antigen (NeuN). Photomicrographs were made by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Morphological analysis showed evident trophic development in the groups that received HS essential oil (p<0,05), particularly glial cells, immunoreactivity for GFAP, and NeuN and the plasticity of these cells were confirmed by SEM. This study about the plasticity of spinal cord cells contributes with new possibilities and techniques with essential oils for cell therapy in the presence of SNCM, which promoted neuroprotective action.
Keywords: Spinal Cord Injuries. Neuroprotection. Neurotrophism. Essential oil.
Authors:
Luciana Cristina Borges Fernandes;
Rodrigo Freire Oliveira;
Salvador Viana Junior;
Ianara Mendonça Costa;
Francisca Idalina Neta;
Francisca Overlânia Vieira Lima;
Lucídio Clebeson Oliveira;
Sergio da Silva Bezerra de Menenzes;
Dinalva Brito de Queiroz;
Carlos Iberê Alves Freitas;
Fausto Pierdoná Guzen.