Zhichan powder regulates nigrostriatal dopamine synthesis and metabolism in Parkinson's disease rats

Abstract

In this study, rat models of Parkinson's disease induced by substantia nigra injection of 6-hydroxy-dopamine were intragastrically administered Zhichan powder daily for 50 days. Reverse transcription PCR results showed that tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression in the rat substantia nigra was significantly increased, while monoamine oxidase B mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the Zhichan powder group, compared with the model group. In addition, the levels of striatal dopamine and homovanillic acid, the ratio of dopamine to homovanillic acid, and the activity of blood superoxide dismutase were all higher in the Zhichan powder group than in the model group, but the content of malondialdehyde in blood was lower. Our experimental findings indicate that Zhichan powder has an antioxidant effect, it can regulate the expression of monoamine oxidase B and tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease rats, and it can facilitate the secretion of striatal dopamine and its metabolite homovanillic acid.

Keywords: Chinese herbal compound; Parkinson’s disease; Zhichan powder; dopamine; homovanillic acid; malondialdehyde; monoamine oxidase B; neural regeneration; neurodegenerative diseases; superoxide dismutase; tyrosine hydroxylase.

Figure 1

Effect of Zhichan powder on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA expression in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease rats. (A) Electrophoresis. M: DL2000 DNA marker; 0: normal control group at day 0; 1–5: Zhichan powder group at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 days; 6–10: model group at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 days. (B) TH mRNA expression in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease rats. ^aP < 0.05, vs. normal control group; ^bP < 0.01, vs. model group. Data are expressed as absorbance ratio of TH mRNA to β-actin (mean ± SD); there were four rats from each group in triplicate experiments, and results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Student Newman Keuls test.

Figure 2

Effect of Zhichan powder on monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) mRNA expression in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease rats. (A) Electrophoresis. M: DL2000 DNA marker; 0: normal control group at day 0; 1–5: Zhichan powder group at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 days; 6–10: model group at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 days. (B) MAO-B mRNA expression in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease rats. ^aP < 0.01, vs. normal control group; ^bP < 0.01, vs. model group. Data are expressed as absorbance ratio of MAO-B mRNA to β-actin (mean ± SD); there were four rats from each group in triplicate experiments, and results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Student Newman Keuls test.