title: Oral pre-treatment with epigallocatechin gallate in 6-OHDA lesioned rats produces subtle symptomatic relief but not neuroprotection.
abstract: Much recent work is investigating the role of oxidative stress and inflammatory mechanisms in the aetiology of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. The present study evaluated whether the green tea constituent epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which has both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, exerts neuroprotection and symptomatic effects when administered orally as a pre-treatment prior to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions. Groups of rats were given either 1mg/kg, 2mg/kg EGCG or vehicle solution for 14 days. Sham or 6-OHDA surgery was performed on day 11 of the drug administration protocol. Behavioural analysis was conducted before drugs/vehicle solution, again during the treatment period and then repeated at fortnightly intervals for 2 months post-operatively. Whilst some subtle behavioural improvements in postural abnormalities and ability to cross a narrow beam were observed in lesioned rats after EGCG (vs. vehicle) there was no evidence of neuroprotection on post-mortem quantification of degree of nigral dopaminergic neuronal loss when comparing the lesioned groups given the various treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Bosch Institute and School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Katherine R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Leaver
authors.forename: Haydn N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Allbutt
authors.forename: Nathan J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Creber
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kassiou
authors.forename: Jasmine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D018663:Adrenergic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002452:Cell Count; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D011187:Posture; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012399:Rotation; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D016627:Oxidopamine; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D004298:Dopamine