Protective Effects of Aqueous Extract of Luehea divaricata against Behavioral and Oxidative Changes Induced by 3-Nitropropionic Acid in Rats

Abstract EN

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.