title: Atorvastatin improves Y-maze learning behaviour in nicotine treated male albino rats.
abstract: Nicotine is a parasympathomimetic alkaloid present in tobacco which can induce hyperlipidemia and has a direct effect on neural functions. Statins, competitive inhibitors of 3-hydroxymethyl-3-glutaryl-coenzyme-A reductase, are cholesterol lowering drugs. It has some neuroprotective effects. Hence we analysed the combined effect of nicotine and statin on the learning behaviour of male albino rats. We employed Y-Maze conditional discrimination task. Rats were divided into 4 groups with six rats in each group. (1) Control, (2) Atorvastatin (10mg/kgb.wt), (3) Nicotine (0.6mg/kgb.wt) and (4) Atorvastatin (10mg/kgb.wt)+Nicotine (0.6mg/kgb.wt). After 30days of treatment rats from each group were selected for behavioural study and they were observed for 30days. At the end of the experimental period rats were sacrificed, and brain and liver were dissected out for further biochemical analysis. Nicotine treated group showed least performance in learning in comparison with control, atorvastatin and atorvastatin+nicotine treated groups. Co-administration of atorvastatin and nicotine improved learning behaviour compared to nicotine treated group. Reactive oxygen species level was significantly increased in nicotine group compared to control. The level of neurotransmitter serotonin which has a significant role in learning was found to be decreased in nicotine treated group compared to the control group. Activity of Na(+) K(+) ATPase, Ca(2+) ATPase and glutathione content was significantly reduced in nicotine treated group compared to control. The activity of acetylcholine esterase was significantly increased in the nicotine treated group. Expression studies showed significant decrease in N-methyl D-aspartate receptors and increase in mono amine oxidase-A and mono amine oxidase-B in nicotine treated group and was reversed in atorvastatin + nicotine treated group. It can be concluded that co-administration of nicotine with statin ameliorates the neural functional alterations caused by nicotine to a significant level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Syam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das S
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Saritha S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 Kerala, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kavitha
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 Kerala, India.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Febi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581 Kerala, India. Electronic address: indiramadambath@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Indira
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D012701:Serotonin; D009538:Nicotine; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Atorvastatin; NMDA receptors; Neurotransmitters; Nicotine; Y-maze