Allium cepa exerts neuroprotective effect on retinal ganglion cells of pterygopalatine artery (PPA) ligated mice

Background Repeated failure to rescue the damaged retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) by various drugs has warranted the need to screen common herbal compounds available in the form of various eye formulations for their efficacy. Objective We aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of pretreatment with aqueous extract of A. cepa in Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) induced retinal injury. Methods Ischemia was induced for 2 h by pterygopalatine artery (PPA) ligation in C57BL/6J mice, followed by reperfusion. The neuroprotective role of oral pretreatment with aqueous extract of A. cepa (300 mg/kg) was analyzed with respect to control and injury only group at 7, 14, and 28 day after the surgery for expression of different genes in the retina by Real-Time PCR. Results Molecular analysis at different time points showed increased expression of BCl-2, GDNF, GFAP, and Brn3b in the retina at 14 and 28 day after A. cepa treatment in comparison to the injury alone group. However, at shorter time point (7th day), the expression of these genes was pronounced in the injury only group in comparison to the injury and pretreated group. Conclusion Pretreatment with aqueous extract of A. cepa may protect from the neuronal damage in I/R-induced retinal injury in mice by altering the expression of neurotrophic factor.