Statistical evaluations revealed that the number of GFAP+ astrocytes was significantly increased in SCI group. However, this activation was significantly attenuated in the treatment groups, F(5, 30) = 45.49, p < .001. Application of post hoc Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test as well as Bartlett’s test for equal variances showed a significant reduction in the GFAP expression in SCI-MO, SCI-hUCBSC (p < .01), and SCI-MO-hUCBSC (p < .001) treatment groups when compared with SCI group. Statistically significant difference was found in GFAP expression between SCI-MO-hUCBSC group in comparison with SCI-MO (p < .01) and SCI-hUCBSC (p < .05) groups (Figures 9 and 10). Figure 9.Effect of hUCBSC-MO treatment on astrogliosis formation in ventral horn of spinal cord after injury. Intraperitoneal injection of MO (150 mg/kg) was started one day after injury and continued once a day for 14 days after injury. Intraspinal grafting of hUCBSCs was started 24 hr after injury. Data are represented as mean of GFAP-positive astrocytes ± SEM (n = 5–7) and analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. ***p < .001 shows significant difference between SCI versus intact. ##p < .01, and ###p < .001 versus spinal cord injury. Φ shows significant difference between SCI-MO-hUCBSC and SCI-hUCBSC (p < .05). $$ shows significant difference between SCI-MO-hUCBSC and SCI-MO (p < .05, p < .01, and p < .001, respectively). Note. hUCBSCs = human umbilical cord blood stem cells; GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; MO = Melissa officinalis; SCI = spinal cord injury; SEM = standard error of the mean; ANOVA = analysis of variance. Figure 10.Transverse section of spinal cord showing the ventral horn gray matter of spinal cord at the level of T12-L1 of all groups which were evaluated in this study on Day 56. Black arrows illustrate the GFAP astrocytes. Reduced GFAP astrocytes are evident. a = Intact, b = SCI, c = SCI-MO, d = SCI-hUCBSC, e = SCI-MO-hUCBSC. Bar = 50 µm. (ECLIPSE 5Oi microscope). Note. GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; hUCBSC = human umbilical cord blood stem cell; MO = Melissa officinalis; SCI = spinal cord injury.