title: Mass spectrometric evaluation of neurotransmitter levels in IMR 32 cell line in response to Ayurvedic medicines.
abstract: Ayurvedic herbal medicines are administered as part of disease management for many neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and linked comorbid challenges. The biochemistry of the behavioral abnormalities as observed in comorbid conditions is already reported to involve neurotransmitters like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA). The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of ayurvedic medicines on neurotransmitter levels in IMR 32. Such a study will give some insight into the molecular mechanism of the action of these medicines and help us to understand their contributions in neurotransmitter homeostasis.
  
  
  
  Solutions of Brahmi, Brahmi vati, Brahmi ghrita and Saraswata ghrita, each at 50 μM, were added to differentiated IMR 32 cells and grown for 24 h. The cell secretion was analysed by ultra-fast liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UFLC/MS) in electrospray ionisation (ESI) mode for the neurotransmitters DA, 5-HT and GABA. The mobile phase selected was 0.1% formic acid with 15 μg/mL Na2 -EDTA (A) and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (B) introduced in the ratio of 92:8.
  
  
  
  All neurotransmitters under study were eluted within 7 min with GABA eluting at 3.82 min, 5-HT at 4.48 min and DA at 5.47 min, respectively. Linearity was excellent with a correlation coefficient (R(2) ) of 0.999; repeatability and accuracy were also within acceptable range. All herbal drugs evaluated increased the neurotransmitter levels and Brahmi vati increased the neurotransmitter levels to a larger extent.
  
  
  
  Decreased levels of neurotransmitters were observed in behavioral abnormalities which were also observed in children with ASD. Herbal medicines given as part of ayurvedic medicine increased the neurotransmitter levels in IMR 32. Thus, these ayurvedic medicines when prescribed to children with ASD might alleviate the abnormal behavioral symptoms by maintaining neurotransmitter homeostasis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, India.
authors.forename: Madhu Poornima
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mamidala
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rajesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani - Hyderabad Campus, India.
authors.forename: Vidya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rajesh
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006801:Humans; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents