Dietary supplementation of GrandFusion^® mitigates cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal damage and attenuates inflammation

Abstract

Objectives: Dietary supplementation of fruits and vegetables has been the main stay for nutritional benefit and overall well-being. GrandFusion^® is a nutritional supplement that contains the natural nutrients from whole fruits and vegetables that include complex nutrients and phytonutrients that contain anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties.

Methods: In this study, C57BL/6 mice were fed a diet supplemented with GrandFusion^® for 2 months prior to 1 hour of ischemia induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAo) followed by various times of reperfusion. Mice were subjected to MCAo for 1 hour and then at various times following reperfusion, animals were assessed for behavioral outcomes (open field testing, rotarod, and adhesive test removal), and infarct volumes (cresyl violet and triphenyltetrazolium chloride). In addition, to determine the potential mechanisms associated with treatment, the brain tissue was examined for changes in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers.

Results: The GrandFusion^® diet was able to show a significant protection from infarct damage in the brain and an improvement in neurological outcomes. The diet did not alter heart rate, blood pressure, pO₂, pCO₂, or pH. In addition, the diet mitigated inflammation by reducing microglial and astrocytic activation following ischemia and reperfusion and limiting oxidative stress.

Discussion: The study demonstrates the neuroprotective effect of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables that contain anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory against the impact of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury.

Keywords:

• Cerebral ischemia
• Inflammation
• Oxidative stress
• Diet
• Neuroprotection

Disclaimer statements

Contributors J.Y. and H.Z. carried out the animal surgeries and immunohistochemical studies. A.B. carried out the protein and western blot analyses. S.G.C. and S.T. helped to plan the studies and reviewed the data and manuscript. M.S.K. planned the studies, performed the data analysis and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding None.

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval All studies were approved that the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center.