ArticleAnnals of translational medicine2021
Astaxanthin protects spinal cord tissues from apoptosis after spinal cord injury in rats.
Article in Annals of translational medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Astaxanthin promotes locomotor function recovery and attenuates tissue damage in rats following spinal cord injury: a systematic review and trial sequential analysis.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2023Pooled it
- Exploring Mechanistic Insights by Carotenoids in Neuropathic and Inflammatory Pain.Current neuropharmacology · 2026Review
- Functional Recovery Promotion After Spinal Cord Injury With Astaxanthin Treatment in Preclinical Studies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Neurology research international · 2025Review
- Astaxanthin Protection against Neuronal Excitotoxicity via Glutamate Receptor Inhibition and Improvement of Mitochondrial Function.Marine drugs · 2022Article
- Partial restoration of spinal cord neural continuity via vascular pedicle hemisected spinal cord transplantation using spinal cord fusion technique.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere is emerging evidence that astaxanthin plays a significant role in protecting neuro-cells from apoptosis after central nervous system injury. Our study examined the effects of astaxanthin on neuro-cell apoptosis after spinal cord injury.
methodsOne hundred and forty-four healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the experimental group, control group, and sham operation group (n=48). Spinal cord injury was induced using the modified Allen method in the control group and the experimental group; while in the sham operation group, the lamina was removed without spinal cord injury. The rats in the experimental group were given astaxanthin (75 mg/kg) by gavage immediately after the operation, and in the other groups were given the same amount of olive oil. Motor function was assessed by blood-brain barrier (BBB) scores. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) at 24 h was determined after the operation. The apoptosis index (AI) was determined at 6, 24, and 48 h after the operation. At 48 h after the operation, we calculated the water content of the spinal cord, the lesion ratio of the spinal cord, the ultrastructure of the spinal cord, and the ultrastructure score.
resultsThe BBB scores of the control and experimental groups were significantly lower than the sham operation group at each postoperative time (P<0.05), and the BBB score of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group at 1-4 weeks postoperatively (P<0.05). At 24 hours postoperatively, MDA content was highest in the control group and lowest in the sham operation group, while SOD activity was highest in the sham operation group and lowest in the control group (P<0.05). At each time point postoperatively, the sham operation group had the lowest AI and the control group had the highest AI (P<0.05). At 48 h after the operation, the water content and the lesion ratio of the spinal cord, and the ultrastructure score were the lowest in the sham operation group and the highest in the control group (P<0.05).
conclusionsAstaxanthin significantly improved the motor function of rats with spinal cord injury.
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