ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1592682
This article is part of the Research TopicNutrients and Bioactive Compounds: Preventing and Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases and DisordersView all 3 articles
Intrathecal silymarin administration improves recovery after compression spinal cord injury: Evidence for neuroprotection, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory action
Provisionally accepted
- 1Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Kerman, Iran
- 2Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Kerman, Iran
- 3Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Kerman, Iran
- 4Neurobiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Alborz, Iran
- 5Research Center of Oils and Fats, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- 6Departamento de Ciencias del Ambiente, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM), Chile
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Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating disorder that affects people's quality of life.Unfortunately, there is no definitive drug for treating SCI. Additionally, the adverse effects of existing non-approved drugs make it necessary to research and investigate the effects of new multitarget agents to combat SCI complications.Purpose: This study specifically investigates the effect of a multi-target phytochemical silymarin (SIL), known for its potent neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, on sensorimotor function after SCI.In total, 30 male Wistar rats were divided into five distinct groups: Sham, SCI, and three additional groups that received SIL at dosage levels of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 μmol.Following the injury, behavioral tests such as acetone drop, hot plate, von Frey, BBB, and inclined plane were conducted along with weight measurements for four weeks. Serum samples were analyzed to assess alterations in catalase and glutathione levels, nitrite concentration, and the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 and 9. Besides, histopathological studies were done to evaluate the number of neurons in the spinal cord tissue.Results and discussion: Various doses of SIL, particularly the 0.2 μmol dosage, significantly influenced the alleviation of pain, enhancement of motor function, and weight gain in animals following SCI. In addition, SIL increased the levels of catalase and glutathione, while decreasing serum nitrite levels. It also increased anti-inflammatory MMP2 levels and the sensory/motor neurons' survival, while decreasing inflammatory MMP9.Generally, intrathecal injection of SIL after SCI provides neuroprotective, antiinflammatory, and antioxidant effects leading to pain reduction and improved motor function in rats.
Keywords: spinal cord injury, Silymarin, neuropathic pain, Motor function, Oxidative Stress, Neuroprotection, Inflammation
Received: 12 Mar 2025; Accepted: 13 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Bahmani, Kiani, Fakhri, Abbaszadeh, Rashidi and Echeverria. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Javier Echeverria, Departamento de Ciencias del Ambiente, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM), Chile
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