ABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that mainly affects the aged population and is characterized by the progressive loss of the hippocampal and cortical neurons, which results in memory and cognitive impairments. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) has been reported to have hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, hyperinsulinemic and anti-diabetic properties. Traditionally, it was used as a galactagogue and to treat anorexia, fever gastritis, gastric ulcers, and various nervous disorders. However, the neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seed powder against aluminum chloride (AlCl3) induced AD rats has not been analyzed. The result of the present study indicated that the chronic administration of AlCl3 induced significant learning and memory impairments, oxidative stress, and alterations in the protein immunocontent patterns of IDE and CDK5 (enzymes involved in the metabolism of tau and amyloid proteins), pTau, GFAP and Iba-1, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS, NF-κB, COX-2, CDK5, BDNF, and STAT3. Our behavioral, biochemical, and molecular studies revealed that the co-administration of fenugreek seed powder significantly attenuated the AlCl3 induced memory deficits, amyloid and tau pathology, oxidative stress, and inflammation in AD rats could be due to the synergistic action of its active components.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/complications , Encephalitis/drug therapy , Encephalitis/etiology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , tau Proteins/metabolism , Aluminum Chloride , Aluminum Compounds/toxicity , Alzheimer Disease/chemically induced , Animals , Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism , Catalase/metabolism , Chlorides/toxicity , Cytokines/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Glutathione/metabolism , Glutathione Peroxidase/metabolism , Maze Learning/drug effects , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Rats , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism , Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism , Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances/metabolism , Trigonella/chemistryABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia that mainly affects the cognitive functions of the aged populations. Trigonella foenum-graecum (L.) (fenugreek), a traditionally well utilized medicinal plant ubiquitously used as one of the main food additive worldwide, is known to have numerous beneficial health effects. Fenugreek seed extract could be able to inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a key enzyme involved in the pathogenesis of AD, and further shown to have anti-parkinsonic effect. The present study was aimed to explore the neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seed powder (FSP) against aluminium chloride (AlCl3) induced experimental AD model. Administration of germinated FSP (2.5, 5 and 10% mixed with ground standard rat feed) protected AlCl3 induced memory and learning impairments, Al overload, AChE hyperactivity, amyloid ß (Aß) burden and apoptosis via activating Akt/GSK3ß pathway. Our present data could confirm the neuroprotective effect of fenugreek seeds. Further these results could lead a possible therapeutics for the management of neurodegenerative diseases including AD in future.
Subject(s)
Aluminum Compounds/toxicity , Apoptosis/drug effects , Chlorides/toxicity , Memory Disorders/drug therapy , Neuroprotective Agents/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism , Aluminum Chloride , Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism , Animals , Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta/metabolism , Learning/drug effects , Male , Memory Disorders/chemically induced , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism , Rats, Wistar , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Trigonella , Weight Loss/drug effectsABSTRACT
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder that mainly affects the movement of the aged populations. Lycopene is a carotenoid with unique pharmacological properties and its efficacy on experimental Hunginton's disease and brain ischemia has shown intense neuroprotective effects. The present study was aimed to explore the neuroprotective effect of lycopene against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced PD mice. Administration of lycopene (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day orally) protected MPTP induced depletion of striatal dopamine (DA) and its metabolites in a dose dependent manner. It also attenuated MPTP-induced oxidative stress and motor abnormalities seen in PD mice. Our western blot studies showed that treatment with lycopene reversed MPTP induced apoptosis may be due to its antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties. As to conclude, lycopene reverses neurochemical deficts, oxidative stress, apoptosis and physiological abnormalities in PD mice and offer promise strategy in the treatment of this neurodegenerative disease.
