Effect of lycopene on oxidative stress and behavioral deficits in rotenone induced model of Parkinson's disease / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the neuroprotective potential of lycopene on oxidative stress and neurobehavioral abnormalities in rotenone induced Parkinson' disease (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty adult C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10): control, lycopene (10 mg/kg body weight, orally), rotenone (3 mg/kg bw, intraperitoneally) and rotenone plus lycopene, which were sacrificed for 5 weeks. The spectrophotometry was used to determine the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in substantia nigra and right striatum. At the same time, the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), alpha-synuclein (alpha-SYN) and microtubule-associated protein 3 light chain (LC3-B) positive neurons were estimated by immunohistochemistry. We also examined neurobehavioral abnormalities by WT-200 water maze.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Rotenone administration increased the MDA levels and significantly decreased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and CAT. However, lycopene administration to the rotenone treated animals increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and CAT when compared to rotenone treated animals in substantia nigra and right striatum. The cognitive and motor deficits in rotenone administered animals, which were reversed on lycopene treatment. Along with this, the number of TH decreased, alpha-SYN increased and LC3-B positive neurons increased in rotenone administered animals, which were reversed on lycopene treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Collectively, these observations provide an evidence for beneficial effect of lycopene supplementation in rotenone-induced PD and suggest therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases involving accentuated oxidative stress.</p>

Effects of Zhikeping on aortic oxyradical and the expression of ICAM-1 in a rat model of experimental early atherosclerosis / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of Zhikepingon the oxyradical andintercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) of experimental early atherosclerosis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The model of SD rat early atherosclerosis was induced by cholesterol diet. The suspension of Zhikeping and simvastatin were administered intragastrically, respectively. After 10 weeks, the serum lipids, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) were detected by automatic biochemistry analyzer. ICAM-1 and its expression of mRNA in aortic wall were detected- by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. Aortic histomorphology was cbserved by HE stainning.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The results showed that the serum lipids, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) of treated groups were obviously improved as compared with those of the control group. The tissue pathological damage was improved indifferent degree, and ICAM-1 and its expression of mRNA was decreased obviously.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is suggested the mechanism of anti-atherosclerosis of Zhikeping have close relationship with the function of its anti-oxidizing and anti-adhesiveness that can protect aortic endothelial cell.</p>