Licopeno protege camundongos submetidos à isquemia cerebral focal permanente do dano neuronal e déficit de memória

Abstract

Stroke is the second cause of death and the first cause of disability worldwide. Stroke, is characterized for a cascade of events, such as excitotoxicity, inflammation and oxidative stress causing neuronal damage. Lycopene is a liposoluble carotenoid present mainly in the family Solanaceae, tomatoes, and other fruits like papaya, cherry and guava and has antioxidant properties. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the lycopene effect on neuronal damage, motor impairment and memory deficits in mice subjected to cerebral ischemia by permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (pMCAO). Swiss male mice (25-30g) were divided into 6 groups: false-operated (FO) treated with vehicle or lycopene (20 mg/kg) (v. o.), ischemic (pMCAO), and ischemic treated with lycopene (2, 10 and 20 mg/kg v.o.). Animals were treated 1 hour after surgery and daily until behavioral testing. 24 hours after ischemic onset neurological evaluation and TTC staining was performed. Animals were subjected to behavioral tests: evaluation of locomotor activity, of working memory and aversive memory, 72 h (3 days) after stroke. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. The ischemic animals present percentages of ischemic areas and significantly greater neurological deficit. This animals treated with lycopene had a significantly lower percentage of ischemic area than the ischemia, as well as a lower neurological deficit. Lycopene was also able to significantly decrease deficits in locomotor activity and aversive memory. Therefore, the results obtained demonstrate that lycopene has a neuroprotective activity against the effects of cerebral ischemia, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the possible mechanisms involved in neuroprotection.