Neuroprotective effects of alkaloids from Piper longum in a MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bi, Ying; Qu, Peng-Cheng; Wang, Qing-Song; Zheng, Li; Liu, Hao-Long; Luo, Rong; Chen, Xiao-Qing; Ba, Yin-Ying; Wu, Xia; Yang, Hui
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 53:Number 10(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1516
• Page End: 1524
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2014.991835
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: Alkaloids of <italic>Piper longum</italic> L. (Piperaceae) (<italic>PLA</italic>) include piperine and piperlonguminine. <italic>Piper longum</italic> and piperine have multiple biological properties including antioxidant activity.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of <italic>PLA</italic> in a MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: <italic>PLA</italic> was prepared by extracting the dry seed of <italic>P. longum</italic> using 85% ethanol. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were divided into eight groups of 12 rats each. Experimental and control groups received an equivalent volume of saline, 0.5% CMC-Na, and 0.1% Tween 80, treated groups received oral <italic>PLA</italic> (30, 60, and 120 mg/kg), other groups treated with piperine (60 mg/kg) or Madopar (50 mg/kg). The <italic>PLA</italic> prevention group (<italic>PLA</italic>-Pr) administrated <italic>PLA</italic> (120 mg/kg) for 1 week before MPTP challenged. Except for the <italic>PLA</italic>-Pr group, others were treated for seven consecutive weeks. Parkinson's disease was induced by injecting MPTP intraperitoneally (25 mg/kg) twice weekly for five consecutive weeks. Dopaminerigic (DA) neurons and their metabolism were detected by UFLC-MS/MS. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunohistochemistry assay and Western blotting were performed. The antioxidant enzymatic levels were determined by kit-based assays.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: The LD<sub>50</sub> value of <italic>PLA</italic> was determined at 1509 mg/kg of body weight. <italic>PLA</italic> (60 mg/kg) can significantly increase total movement time and distance (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), increase levels of DA (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05) and DOPAC (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), increase glutathione (GSH) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05), and decrease the lipid peroxidation of malondiadehycle (MDA) (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05) in <italic>PLA</italic>-treated groups as compared with the control group.</p> <p> <italic>Discussion and conclusion</italic>: Our results indicate that <italic>PLA</italic> possesses neuroprotective effects and has ameliorative properties in dopaminergic neurons.</p> </abstract>