Exploring the impact of acetylsalicylic acid and conditioned medium obtained from mesenchymal cells, individually and in combination, on cognitive function, histological changes, and oxidant–antioxidant balance in male rats with hippocampal injury

Abstract Background The hippocampus is susceptible to damage, leading to negative impacts on cognition. Conditioned medium (CM) obtained from adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) have shown neuroprotective effects independently. This study explored the synergistic potential of ASA and CM from adipose‐derived MSCs against hippocampal injury. Methods Adult male Wistar rats received bilateral hippocampal ethidium bromide (EB) injections to induce hippocampal damage. Rats were treated with ASA and/or CM derived from adipose tissue MSCs every 48 h for 16 days. Behavioral tests (open field test, Morris water maze, novel object recognition, and passive avoidance), oxidative stress, Western blot analysis of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) expression, and hippocampal histological investigation were conducted. Results Administration of EB caused impairments in spatial, recognition, and passive avoidance memory, as well as heightened oxidative stress, reduced BDNF/CDNF expression, and pyramidal cell loss in the hippocampal CA1 region. Administration of ASA, CM, or a combination of both mitigated these hippocampal damages and cognitive deficits, elevated BDNF and CDNF levels, and alleviated the CA1 necrosis caused by EB. Moreover, co‐administering ASA and CM resulted in greater improvements in spatial memory compared to administering ASA alone, suggesting possible synergistic interactions. Conclusions The ability of ASA, CM obtained from adipose tissue–derived MSCs, and their combination therapy to alleviate hippocampal injuries highlights their promising therapeutic potential as a neuroprotection strategy against brain damage. Our findings provide preliminary evidence of the potential synergistic effects of ASA and CM, which warrants further investigations.