Title : Effect of alpha-mangostin in the prevention of behavioural and neurochemical defects in methylmercury-induced neurotoxicity in experimental rats
Abstract:
Methylmercury (MeHg+) is a known neurotoxin that causes progressive motor neuron degeneration in the central nervous system. Axonal degeneration, oligodendrocyte degeneration, and myelin basic protein (MBP) deficits are among the neuropathological abnormalities caused by MeHg+ in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This results in demyelination and motor neuron death in both humans and animals. Previous experimental studies have confirmed that overexpression of the extracellular signalling regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signalling contributes to glutamate excitotoxicity, inflammatory response of microglial cells, and oligodendrocyte (OL) dysfunction that promotes myelin loss. Alpha-mangostin (AMG), an active ingredient obtained from the tree "Garcinia mangostana Linn," has been used in experimental animals to treat a variety of brain disorders, including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease memory impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and schizophrenia, including Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease memory impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and schizophrenia. AMG has traditionally been used as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agent. Accordingly, we investigated the therapeutic potential of AMG (100 and 200 mg/kg) in experimental rats with methylmercury (MeHg+)-induced neurotoxicity. The neuroprotective effect of AMG on behavioural, cellular, molecular, and other gross pathological changes, such as histopathological alterations in MeHg+ -treated rat brains, is presented. The neurological behaviour of experimental rats was evaluated using a Morris water maze (MWM), open field test (OFT), grip strength test (GST), and force swim test (FST). In addition, we investigate AMG’s neuroprotective effect by restoring MBP levels in cerebral spinal fluid and whole rat brain homogenate. The apoptotic, pro-inflammatory, and oxidative stress markers were measured in rat blood plasma samples and brain homogenate. According to the findings of this study, AMG decreases ERK-1/2 levels and modulates neurochemical alterations in rat brains, minimising MeHg+ -induced neurotoxicity.
What will audience learn from your presentation?
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron demyelinating disorder that causes spinal nerve degeneration. It is a subset of disease which primarily affects the brain stem, motor cortex, spinal cord, and corticospinal tract.
- The increase in the number of patients with ALS has led to increasing demand for effective therapy and a particular diagnosis, which can help this motor neuron dysfunction.
- Currently, there are several diagnostic tests available to diagnose ALS, including blood and urine tests that are laboratory tests which analyse blood and urine samples that include spinal tap lumbar puncture, electromyogram, nerve conduction study, MRI etc. The major limitations of all these diagnostic tests are quite laborious, intrusive, and costly. As a result, people avoid or delay getting diagnosed, causing their symptoms to worsen. Furthermore, no single test can provide a definitive diagnosis of ALS, which might lead to the disorders progression and worsening. This could be a prominent of mortality rate.
