Evaluation of betulinic acid effects on pain, anxiety, catalepsy, and oxidative stress in animal model of Parkinson’s disease

Background and Aim : Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is classically known as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting up to 3% of individuals over the age of 65 years . It is characterized by tremor at rest, rigidity, bradykinesia, hypokinesia and postural instability. Betulinic acid (BA) is a nutural active compound with potent antioxidant activity. The present study addresses the question whether BA affects motor dysfunctions, pain, anxiety and molecular changes in the rat model of PD induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA).Methods : Methods: Male Wistar rats (300-350g) divided randomly into 6 groups with 7 in each. Sham, PD, 3 treated groups with BA (0.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, ip) and a positive control received L-DOPA (20mg/kg, P.O) for 7 days. Right medial forebrain bundle (MFB) was lesioned by injection of 6-OHDA (20 μg/kg) under streotaxic surgery in anesthetized rats. PD was established by apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg, ip) for induction contralateral rotation 14 days after PD induction. Treatment of rats begun just after the approved rotation test. To assess regidity, anxiety and analgesia mice were tested in bar test, open field, elevated plus maze (EPM) and tail-flick. In addition, The malondialdehyde (MDA) level and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in brain tissue were measured.Results : Results: Treatment the PD rats with BA significantly reversed the 6-OHDA-induced motor complication (P<0.001) in the bar test, but it modified anxiety like behavior neither in open field nor in EPM and also no significant changes was found in the tail flick between treatment and sham groups. On the other hand the kevel of malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased (P<0.001), and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P<0.05) was evaluated at the end of the experiment.Conclusion : Conclusion: Our results showed that BA could affect as a potent natural free radical scavenger which removes brain tissue oxidants in PD. It can account as a possible promise as a good therapeutic agent for motor and non-motor complications in PD.

کلیدواژه ها:

Keywords: Parkinson ، Betulinic acid ، Open Field ، Elevated Plus Maze ، Bar Test ، Tail Flick ، GPX ، MDA