Affiliation:
1. SÜLEYMAN DEMİREL ÜNİVERSİTESİ
2. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Tıbbi Farmakoloji AD
Abstract
Objective
Despite the advances in medicine, sepsis still remains
a major health problem worldwide and brain tissue is
one of the structures damaged in the early period of
sepsis. Neuroinflammation (NI) is considered as the
main mechanism in septic brain injury. Ramelteon
(RML) is a non-selective (MT1 / MT2) melatonin
receptor agonist and was approved by the FDA in 2005
with the indication of insomnia. RML shows relatively
higher affinity for both receptor subtypes among other
melatonergic agonist drugs.
Material and Method
Twenty-eight male Wistar Albino rats were used
to investigate the protective effect of RML on
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced NI. Control, LPS (5
mg/kg, intraperitoneally), RML (8 mg/kg, orally) and
LPS + RML (45 minutes before LPS) groups were
created. Six hours following the last drug administration,
rats were sacrificed. Blood for hemogram analysis and
cortical and hippocampal tissues for histopathological
evaluation were collected.
Results
LPS increased white blood cell and neutrophil/
lymphocyte ratio (NLR) while it decreased lymphocyte
and platelet counts. RML decreased NLR and
increased platelet counts significantly. In histochemical
evaluation, marked inflammatory cell infiltration and
apoptosis were observed in both hippocampal and
cortical areas of LPS group. RML decreased the
inflammatory response and apoptotic bodies in these
areas.
Conclusion
RML may be protective on LPS-induced NI observed in
hippocampus via anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic
mechanisms.
Funder
“The Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Süleyman Demirel University"
Publisher
Medical Journal of Suleyman Demirel University