Objective: Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) is a neurotoxicant that induces neurodegeneration within the hippocampus. This study examined the therapeutic effects of resveratrol, a natural polyphenol, in a murine model of TMT-induced hippocampal damage.
Materials and methods: Forty NMRI mice were assigned to five experimental groups: control, control + resveratrol (40 mg/kg), TMT, TMT + resveratrol (10 mg/kg), and TMT + resveratrol (40 mg/kg). Hippocampal injury was established through a single intraperitoneal administration of TMT at a dose of 2.8 mg/kg. Resveratrol was orally administered daily for three weeks. The right-side hippocampus was used for biochemical analyses including malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium-binding adaptor (Iba1) levels, along with superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and caspase 3 activities. The left-side hippocampus was processed for histological evaluation of CA1 neuronal density.
Results: The higher dose of resveratrol (40 mg/kg), in contrast to the lower dose (10 mg/kg), significantly attenuated TMT-induced neuronal loss within the CA1 area compared to the TMT group. It also caused a significant decrease in MDA levels and a significant enhancement of SOD and catalase activities relative to the TMT group. Furthermore, resveratrol (40 mg/kg) significantly reduced the TMT-induced elevations in caspase 3 activity and TNFα levels. It also significantly decreased the elevated GFAP levels. A decreasing trend in the Iba1 was noted in the TMT + resveratrol (40 mg/kg) group; however, it did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion: The concordance between biochemical and histopathological data can support resveratrol neuroprotective efficacy, likely mediated by its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, underscoring its therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative disorders.