Introduction: Worldwide, stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability. The most common type of stroke is cerebral ischemia. Strokes have a high impact on vision. Loss of vision can be the worst residual effect following cerebral infarction. Health promoting properties of red beetroot have become widely known in recent years. In addition to its potent antioxidant properties, it also has anti-inflammatory and vascular protective effects.
Aim of the Work: The purpose of this study was to explore the prophylactic mechanisms of beetroot extract against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the visual cortex of albino rats.
Materials and Methods: In our study, a total of 40 albino rats were used. They were allotted into four groups: Group I (control group), Group II (Red beetroot extract; RBE group), Group III (I/R group) and Group IV (Beetroot extract + I/R group). By the end of the experiment, the visual cortex was extracted and subjected to histological, immunohistochemical, and morphometric analyses.
Results: Red beetroot extract alleviated the ischemic induced visual cortex neurodegenerative changes. Neuronal cells showed a significant increase in toluidine blue color intensity. It protected the visual cortex against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via down-regulation of caspase-3, TNF-α, iNOS and GFAP and up-regulation of HSP70 and PCNA immunoreaction.
Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, beetroot extract may be a potential neuroprotective agent in I/R damage of visual cortex. It protects the visual cortex from oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis resulting from I/R damage. It provides an experimental basis for the application of beetroot extract in the treatment of cerebral ischemic diseases.