title: Effect of tualang honey against KA-induced oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in the cortex of rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Administration of KA on rodents has resulted in seizures, behavioral changes, oxidative stress, and neuronal degeneration on selective population of neurons in the brain. The present study was undertaken to investigate the extent of neuroprotective effect conferred by Malaysian Tualang Honey (TH), an antioxidant agent, in the cerebral cortex of rats against KA-induced oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in an animal model of KA-induced excitotoxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: Control, KA-treated group, TH + KA-treated group, aspirin (ASP; anti-inflammatory agent) + KA-treated group and topiramate (TPM; antiepileptic agent) + KA-treated group. The animals were pretreated orally with drinking water, TH (1.0g/kg BW), ASP (7.5mg/kg BW) or TPM (40mg/kg BW), respectively, five times at 12 h intervals. KA (15mg/kg BW) was injected subcutaneously 30 min after last treatment to all groups except the control group (normal saline). Behavioral change was observed using an open field test (OFT) to assess the locomotor activity of the animals. Animals were sacrificed after 2 h, 24 h and 48 h of KA administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  KA significantly inflicted more neuronal degeneration in the piriform cortex and heightened the predilection to seizures as compared with the control animals. Pretreatment with TH reduced the KA-induced neuronal degeneration in the piriform cortex but failed to prevent the occurrence of KA-induced seizures. In the OFT, KA-induced animals showed an increased in locomotor activity and hyperactivity and these were attenuated by TH pretreatment. Furthermore, TH pretreatment significantly attenuated an increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level and a decrease of total antioxidant status level enhanced by KA in the cerebral cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that pretreatment with TH has a therapeutic potential against KA-induced oxidative stress and neurodegeneration through its antioxidant effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nur Shafika
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Mohd Sairazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. sirajuden@usm.my.
authors.forename: Sirajudeen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: K N S
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohd Asnizam
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Asari
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Swamy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mummedy
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muzaimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Siti Amrah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D007608:Kainic Acid
keywords: Behavioral change; Cresyl violet; Fluoro Jade C; Kainic acid; Neurodegeneration; Oxidative stress; Tualang honey