Eucommia ulmoides extract alleviated spinal cord injury in rats by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the major cause of severe disability worldwide, which leads to neuron death, neuronal degeneration, and functional changes in the spinal cord. Eucommia ulmoides extract (EUE) is composed of multiple iridoids and phenols and possesses anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in various pathologies. This study aims to evaluate the effects of EUE on SCI and the underlying mechanisms. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats (250–280 g) were applied to mimic SCI in vivo. Western blot and ELISA kits assessed the expressions of apoptosis, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress)-relevant proteins. The apoptosis rate of neurons in spinal cord specimens was measured by TUNEL assay. Finally, our data indicated that EUE inhibited SCI-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress, and ER stress through the suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Our data manifest EUE as a potential therapeutic target in SCI.