title: Potency of pre-post treatment of coenzyme Q10 and melatonin supplement in ameliorating the impaired fatty acid profile in rodent model of autism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism and membrane fatty acid composition play a part in a wide range of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Altered fatty acid homeostasis as a result of insufficient dietary supplementation, genetic defects, the function of enzymes involved in their metabolism, or mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the development of autism.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the association of altered brain lipid composition and neurotoxicity related to autism spectrum disorders in propionic acid (PA)-treated rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight young male western albino rats were used in this study. They were grouped into six equal groups with eight rats in each. The first group received only phosphate buffered saline (control group). The second group received a neurotoxic dose of buffered PA (250 mg/kg body weight/day for 3 consecutive days). The third and fourth groups were intoxicated with PA as described above followed by treatment with either coenzyme Q (4.5 mg/kg body weight) or melatonin (10 mg/kg body weight) for 1 week (therapeutically treated groups). The fifth and sixth groups were administered both compounds for 1 week prior to PA (protected groups). Methyl esters of fatty acid were extracted with hexane, and the fatty acid composition of the extract was analyzed on a gas chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained data proved that fatty acids are altered in brain tissue of PA-treated rats. All saturated fatty acids were increased while all unsaturated fatty acids were significantly decreased in the PA-treated group and relatively ameliorated in the pre-post melatonin and coenzyme Q groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melatonin and coenzyme Q were effective in restoring normal level of most of the impaired fatty acids in PA-intoxicated rats which could help suggest both as supplements to ameliorate the autistic features induced in rat pups.
authors.affiliation: Autism Research and Treatment Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Shaik AL-Amodi Autism Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Afaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Ansary
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mashael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Ghamdi
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; rbhat@ksu.edu.sa; Ramesa.aftab@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ramesa Shafi
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sooad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Daihan
authors.affiliation: Autism Research and Treatment Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Shaik AL-Amodi Autism Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.|Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Al-Ayadhi
keywords: brain; coenzyme Q; fatty acid; gas chromatography; melatonin; neurotoxic