title: Neuroprotective effects of Withania somnifera on 6-hydroxydopamine induced Parkinsonism in rats.
abstract: 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is one of the most widely used rat models for Parkinson's disease. There is ample evidence in the literature that 6-OHDA elicits its toxic manifestations through oxidant stress. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-parkinsonian effects of Withania somnifera extract, which has been reported to have potent anti-oxidant, anti-peroxidative and free radical quenching properties in various diseased conditions. Rats were pretreated with 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w. of the W. somnifera extract orally for 3 weeks. On day 21, 2 microL of 6-OHDA (10 microg in 0.1% in ascorbic acid-saline) was infused into the right striatum while sham operated group received 2 microL of the vehicle. Three weeks after 6-OHDA injections, rats were tested for neurobehavioral activity and were killed 5 weeks after lesioning for the estimation of lipidperoxidation, reduced glutathione content, activities of glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, catecholamine content, dopaminergic D2 receptor binding and tyrosine hydroxylase expression. W. somnifera extract was found to reverse all the parameters significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, the study demonstrates that the extract of W. somnifera may be helpful in protecting the neuronal injury in Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Neurotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Medical Elementology & Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Muzamil
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Sofiyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Abdullah Shafique
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Mubeen Ahmad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yousuf
authors.forename: Md Nasrul
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hoda
authors.forename: Fakhrul
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Islam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D032341:Withania / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016627:Oxidopamine