Dispersion of Brazilian green propolis extract in poloxamer 188 improves depression-like behavior and neuroinflammation in mice subjected to transient global cerebral ischemia

Brazilian green propolis (BGP) has notable anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, making it a potential candidate for treating neurological conditions. However, its impact on the sequelae of cerebral ischemia remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the hydroalcoholic extract (HE) of BGP dispersed (HE-D) in Poloxamer 188 (P188) on adult C57BL/6 mice subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO), a model of transient global cerebral ischemia. P188 was selected as the surfactant due to the low solubility of HE, which could compromise its pharmacokinetic profile, reducing bioavailability and potentially limiting its neuroprotective effects. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to BCCAO for 20 minutes. P188 or the HE-D at doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg was administered orally once daily for seven consecutive days. The animals were assessed for locomotor activity, anxiety-related and antidepressant-like behaviors of the treatments. Following the behavioral evaluations, the brains were collected to investigate the impact of HE-D on neuronal death and neuroinflammation induced by BCCAO. HE-D (150 mg/Kg) decreased anxiety-like behavior induced by BCCAO in mice. Also, HE-D induced antidepressant-like effects in mice with BCCAO. HE-D mitigated hippocampal neuroinflammation induced by BCCAO, as seen by a decreased immunoreactivity to both inflammatory markers, Iba-1 and GFAP. These results suggest that HE-D may present beneficial effects on the consequences of BCCAO by decreasing hippocampal neuroinflammation.