Neuroprotective Effects of Hesperidin on Cerebral Vasospasm After Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats: Biochemical, Pathologic, and Histomorphometric Analysis

OBJECTIVE: We examined the protective effects of hesperidin on cerebral vasospasm by establishing an experimental rat model of subarachnoid hemorrhage and performing biochemical, pathologic, and histomorphometric analysis on these data. METHODS: Forty albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of n = 8 in each: group (G)1, no experimental interventions; G2, subjected to subarachnoid hemorrhage; G3, subjected to subarachnoid hemorrhage and administered saline (100 mg/kg); G4, subjected to subarachnoid hemorrhage and treated with low-dose hesperidin (50 mg/kg); and G5, subjected to subarachnoid hemorrhage and treated with high-dose hesperidin (100 mg/kg). Subarachnoid hemorrhage was created by injecting 0.15 cc of autologous blood taken from the rat-tail artery and injected into the cisterna magna from the craniocervical junction. Drugs were administered intraperitoneally as twice daily doses for 48 hours. Rats were euthanized at the end of this period. RESULTS: No statistically significant decrease was observed in malondialdehyde levels, which is the end-product of lipid peroxidation, among the drug groups (G4 and G5). Thin sections prepared from the basilar artery were examined morphologically. Severe luminal narrowing and vessel-wall thickening were observed in the subarachnoid hemorrhage groups (G2, G3). In the hesperidin-administered groups (G4, G5), it was determined that vessel wall thickness measurements revealed thinner walls than in the subarachnoid hemorrhage groups (G2, G3) and the luminal diameters were significantly larger than in the subarachnoid hemorrhage groups (G2, G3). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that hesperidin has no effect on malondialdehyde-associated lipid-peroxidation activity; however, it might be useful in subarachnoid hemorrhage therapy because of its beneficial effects on vessel wall thickness and luminal diameters.