Abstract
Purpose:
To investigate the effects of Murici extract on the brain excitability-dependent phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression (CSD) and on brain oxidative stress.
Methods:
Adult and aged Wistar rats were supplemented with murici extract (150 mg/kg/day or 300 mg/kg/day) by gavage for fifteen days. Afterwards, the animals were submitted to a CSD electrophysiological recording and to brain oxidative stress evaluation.
Results:
Our results showed that aging decreased CSD propagation velocity, catalase activity and glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) in the brain cortex of the rats, and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The highest dose (300 mg/kg/day) of murici extract accelerated CSD, whereas the lowest (150mg/kg/day) decelerated, in both adult and aged animals. In contrast, aged animals supplemented with murici extract in both doses presented low MDA levels and high GSG/GSSG ratio in comparison to the control-aged animals.
Conclusion:
Murici extract supplementation seems to revert detrimental effects in aged brains and could be considered as a strategy in the treatment of pathologies related to aging and cortical spreading depression.
Key words:
Antioxidants; Oxidative Stress; Aging; Rats.
Animals received murici extract (150 mg/kg/day, MUR-150; or 300 mg/kg/day, MUR-300). Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation (n = 6 to 8 animals per group). A) malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, B) Reduced glutathione levels (GSH), C) Reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio, D) Catalase enzyme activity (CAT), E) Superoxide dismutase enzyme activity (SOD). *p<0.05 compared to the control group of the same age. #p<0.05 compared to the MUR-150 group of the same age. γp<0.05 compared to the corresponding adult group.