title: Protective Effects of Aqueous Extract of Luehea divaricata against Behavioral and Oxidative Changes Induced by 3-Nitropropionic Acid in Rats.
abstract: Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease. Accordingly, 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) has been found to effectively produce HD-like symptoms. Luehea divaricata (L. divaricata), popularly known in Brazil as "açoita-cavalo," may act as a neuroprotective agent in vitro and in vivo. We evaluated the hypothesis that the aqueous extract of L. divaricata could prevent behavioral and oxidative alterations induced by 3-NP in rats. 25 adult Wistar male rats were divided into 5 groups: (1) control, (2) L. divaricata (1000 mg/kg), (3) 3-NP, (4) L. divaricata (500 mg/kg) + 3-NP, and (5) L. divaricata (1000 mg/kg) + 3-NP. Groups 2, 4, and 5 received L. divaricata via intragastric gavage daily for 10 days. Animals in groups 3, 4, and 5 received 20 mg/kg 3-NP daily from days 8-10. At day 10, parameters of locomotor activity and biochemical evaluations were performed. Indeed, rats treated with 3-NP showed decreased locomotor activity compared to controls. Additionally, 3-NP increased levels of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation and decreased ratio of GSH/GSSG and acetylcholinesterase activity in cortex and/or striatum. Our results suggest that rats pretreated with L. divaricata prior to 3-NP treatment showed neuroprotective effects when compared to 3-NP treated controls, which may be due to its antioxidant properties.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil ; Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Alves
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Courtes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia Priscila
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Arantes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rômulo Pillon
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Barcelos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ingrid Kich
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Augusti
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Boligon
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Margareth Linde
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Athayde
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Robson Luiz
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Puntel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas (CCNE), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Félix Alexandre Antunes
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Soares