Therapeutic effects of walnut oil on the animal model of multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Objectives: Therapeutic approaches for multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), are accompanied by various undesirable side effects. Owing to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of walnut, we investigated its effects on the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS.

Methods: After EAE induction in mice, the treated group was gavaged daily with walnut oil. The weights and clinical symptoms were monitored daily for 21 days following the onset of symptoms. The spleens and brains of the mouse were removed and used for ELISA and histological studies.

Results: The average disease severity and plaque formation in the brains of the walnut oil-treated group were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of the untreated group. Stimulated splenocytes of the treated group expressed significantly less INF-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 than the untreated group with no significant differences in IL-10 or IL-5 production. In serum from the treated group, IL-17 expression was also significantly less than in the untreated group, while IL-10 was greater (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Walnut oil significantly reduced disease severity, inhibited plaque formation, and altered cytokine production. More studies are required to identify the mechanism of action of walnut oil as a valuable supplement in the treatment of MS.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Cytokines
• Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Walnut oil

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Mosayebi and Dr Palizvan for supervising the study, Dr Ganji, Dr Ghazavi and Dr Ebrahimi for advising and designing and statistical analysis of the study, Dr Ganji, Mr Ejtehadifar and Farahani and Mrs Shojapour for manuscript writing and proofreading.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None

Funding This work was supported by Arak University of Medical Sciences: [Grant Number IR.ARAKMU.REC.1395.112].

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval Procedures were performed according to the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, with approval [No: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1395.112] from the Animal Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences [Date: 08 Jun 2016].

ORCID

Ali Ganji http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2632-9889

Ghasem Mosayebi http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3877-0783