Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery
Neurological damage from traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a grade of disability ranging from mild to severe motor and sensory dysfunction. It occurs more frequently in men of productive age. Treatment essentially consists of anti-inflammatories and rehabilitation. Other treatments are o...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Biomolecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/6/869 |
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| author | Cristian Gonzalez-Ruiz Rodrigo Mondragón-Lozano Hermelinda Salgado-Ceballos Francisco Villarreal Yuridia Martínez-Meza Eduardo Meaney Nayelli Nájera Guillermo Ceballos |
| author_facet | Cristian Gonzalez-Ruiz Rodrigo Mondragón-Lozano Hermelinda Salgado-Ceballos Francisco Villarreal Yuridia Martínez-Meza Eduardo Meaney Nayelli Nájera Guillermo Ceballos |
| author_sort | Cristian Gonzalez-Ruiz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Neurological damage from traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a grade of disability ranging from mild to severe motor and sensory dysfunction. It occurs more frequently in men of productive age. Treatment essentially consists of anti-inflammatories and rehabilitation. Other treatments are only partially effective, and inadequate treatment and secondary conditions often cause premature mortality. The search for pharmacological approaches is a continuous effort. This study aimed to assess the effects of a natural compound on spinal cord injury (SCI) as an alternative damage prevention maneuver. We evaluated the protective effects of the flavanol (+)-epicatechin (EC) in a rat model of moderate trauma-induced SCI on protein markers of damage events. The results showed that EC induced significant protection against SCI. No changes were found in angiopoietin-1, beclin-1, myelin basic protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament heavy polypeptide, and neuronal nuclear antigen after the injury, suggesting that damage progression was impeded. The reduction in damage translates into better movement. The results suggest that (+)-epicatechin may be a suitable alternative for treating SCI. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-be40a0a1d1694e1ab0b709a1ea31a86b |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2218-273X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomolecules |
| spelling | doaj-art-be40a0a1d1694e1ab0b709a1ea31a86b2025-06-25T13:33:34ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2025-06-0115686910.3390/biom15060869Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury RecoveryCristian Gonzalez-Ruiz0Rodrigo Mondragón-Lozano1Hermelinda Salgado-Ceballos2Francisco Villarreal3Yuridia Martínez-Meza4Eduardo Meaney5Nayelli Nájera6Guillermo Ceballos7Laboratorio de Investigación Integral Cardiometabólica, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoUnidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Neurológicas, Hospital de Especialidades Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06600, MexicoUnidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Neurológicas, Hospital de Especialidades Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06600, MexicoSchool of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USALaboratorio de Investigación Integral Cardiometabólica, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoLaboratorio de Investigación Integral Cardiometabólica, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoLaboratorio de Investigación Integral Cardiometabólica, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoLaboratorio de Investigación Integral Cardiometabólica, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoNeurological damage from traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a grade of disability ranging from mild to severe motor and sensory dysfunction. It occurs more frequently in men of productive age. Treatment essentially consists of anti-inflammatories and rehabilitation. Other treatments are only partially effective, and inadequate treatment and secondary conditions often cause premature mortality. The search for pharmacological approaches is a continuous effort. This study aimed to assess the effects of a natural compound on spinal cord injury (SCI) as an alternative damage prevention maneuver. We evaluated the protective effects of the flavanol (+)-epicatechin (EC) in a rat model of moderate trauma-induced SCI on protein markers of damage events. The results showed that EC induced significant protection against SCI. No changes were found in angiopoietin-1, beclin-1, myelin basic protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament heavy polypeptide, and neuronal nuclear antigen after the injury, suggesting that damage progression was impeded. The reduction in damage translates into better movement. The results suggest that (+)-epicatechin may be a suitable alternative for treating SCI.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/6/869spinal cord injury(+)-epicatechinmoderate spinal trauma |
| spellingShingle | Cristian Gonzalez-Ruiz Rodrigo Mondragón-Lozano Hermelinda Salgado-Ceballos Francisco Villarreal Yuridia Martínez-Meza Eduardo Meaney Nayelli Nájera Guillermo Ceballos Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Biomolecules spinal cord injury (+)-epicatechin moderate spinal trauma |
| title | Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery |
| title_full | Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery |
| title_fullStr | Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery |
| title_full_unstemmed | Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery |
| title_short | Positive Effects of (+)-Epicatechin on Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Recovery |
| title_sort | positive effects of epicatechin on traumatic spinal cord injury recovery |
| topic | spinal cord injury (+)-epicatechin moderate spinal trauma |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/6/869 |
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