Sesamol attenuates oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation in focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of sesamol treatment on focal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the rat brain. The results demonstrated that pretreatment with sesamol seven days prior to focal cerebral I/R injury had significant positive effects, including improvements in neurological deficits (P<0.05), and a reduction in malondialdehyde content and elevation of antioxidant levels (superoxide dismutase, glutathione and glutatione peroxidase; both P<0.05). Furthermore, levels of B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein and caspase-3 were significantly downregulated, whereas the level of Bcl-2 was effectively increased. Conversely, the mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines were significantly reduced in focal cerebral I/R injury rats upon sesamol intervention. Therefore, the beneficial effects of sesamol on cerebral I/R injury may be due to the reduction of oxidative stress, inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation. The findings of the present study suggest that sesamol supplementation may serve as potent adjuvant in the treatment of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury due to its neuroprotective effects.