en Nervous system (others) Others Experimental research article Experimental research article <div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Introduction:</strong> </span><span class="fontstyle2">Focal cerebral ischemia followed by reperfusion causes ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) brain injury. I/R injury is a complex pathophysiological process involving inflammation and apoptosis in neurons. Previous studies reported the anti-inflammatory traits of the family </span><span class="fontstyle3">Violaceae</span><span class="fontstyle2">. We aimed to evaluate the effects of </span><span class="fontstyle3">Viola spathulata </span><span class="fontstyle2">pre-treatment on infarct volume (IV), neurological deficit score (NDS) and alterations in mRNA level of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and caspase 3 (CASP3) in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. </span><strong><span class="fontstyle0">Methods: </span></strong><span class="fontstyle2">Thirty-three male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in 4 groups: normal control, MCAO control, MCAO + 5 mg/kg </span><span class="fontstyle3">V. spathulata </span><span class="fontstyle2">and MCAO + 10 mg/kg </span><span class="fontstyle3">V. spathulata</span><span class="fontstyle2">. Two doses of </span><span class="fontstyle3">V. spathulata </span><span class="fontstyle2">extracts were injected intraperitoneally for 7 days before the onset of ischemia. Finally, IV, NDS and mRNA expression of CASP3 and COX2 genes were assessed 24h after reperfusion. </span><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Results:</strong> </span><span class="fontstyle2">IV and NDS in MCAO rats were remarkably higher compared with normal control rats and pre-treatment with </span><span class="fontstyle3">V. spathulata </span><span class="fontstyle2">extracts markedly reduced IV and NDS in the core, penumbra and subcortical regions of MCAO rats. Also, the level of COX2 and CASP3 mRNA was higher in the MCAO control group relative to normal control. Pre-treatment with </span><span class="fontstyle3">V. spathulata </span><span class="fontstyle2">extracts markedly reduced CASP3 mRNA relative to MCAO rats. </span><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> </span><span class="fontstyle2">It was found that </span><span class="fontstyle3">V. spathulata </span><span class="fontstyle2">might reduce ischemic damage in the brain of MCAO rats partly by decreasing apoptotic effects of CASP3. Further research is recommended to investigate signaling pathways involved in apoptosis.</span></div> Ischemia, Reperfusion, Viola spathulata, Caspase 3 (CASP3), Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) 49 59 http://ppj.phypha.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1466-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mahsa Ramezanpour 3200319475328460030692 3200319475328460030692 No Medical Biotechnology Research Center, School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran Korosh Khanaki 3200319475328460030693 3200319475328460030693 No Medical Biotechnology Research Center, School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran Masomeh Faezi 3200319475328460030694 3200319475328460030694 No Department of Medical Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ekram Mohammadi 3200319475328460030695 3200319475328460030695 No Department of Medical Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abbas Gholipour 3200319475328460030696 3200319475328460030696 No Department of Biology, School of Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Mahmood Abedinzade mabedinzade@gums.ac.ir 3200319475328460030697 3200319475328460030697 Yes Medical Biotechnology Research Center, School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran