Neuroprotective role of Convolvulus pluricaulis on aluminium induced neurotoxicity in rat brain.
OBJECTIVE
Convolvulus pluricaulis (Convolvulaceae) has long been used as traditional herbal medicine in India as nerve tonic. We investigated neuroprotective effects of aqueous extract from Convolvulus pluricaulis (CP) against aluminium chloride induced neurotoxicity in rat cerebral cortex.
Daily administration of CP (150 mg/kg) for 3 months along with aluminium chloride (50 mg/kg) decreased the elevated enzymatic activity of acetylcholine esterase and also inhibited the decline in Na(+)/K(+)ATPase activity which resulted from aluminium intake. Beside, preventing accumulation of lipid and protein damage, changes in the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes associated with aluminium administration were also rectified. Oral administration of CP preserved the mRNA levels of muscarinic receptor 1 (M1 receptor), choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) and Nerve Growth Factor-Tyrosine kinase A receptor (NGF-TrkA). It also ameliorated the upregulated protein expression of cyclin dependent kinase5 (Cdk5) induced by aluminium. The potential of CPE to inhibit aluminium induced toxicity was compared with rivastigmine tartrate (1mg/kg), which was taken as standard. The potential of the extract to prevent aluminium-induced neurotoxicity was also reflected at the microscopic level, indicative of its neuroprotective effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Convolvulus pluricaulis possesses neuroprotective potential, thus validating its use in alleviating toxic effects of aluminium.
Bihaqi
Syed Waseem
SW
Dr B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India.
Sharma
Meenakshi
M
Singh
Avninder Pal
AP
Tiwari
Manisha
M
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000535:Aluminum / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D031254:Convolvulus / Q000737:chemistry*; D051360:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003720:Densitometry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000535:Aluminum; D051360:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5; C495907:Cdk5 protein, rat; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase