Potential efficacy of nanocurcumin on levodopa-induced dyskinesia in a rat parkinsonian model

• Published in: Phytomedicine Plus : International journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology 2022-11, Vol.2 (4), p.100334, Article 100334
• Main Authors: Ashrafi, Pegah, Jahromy, Mahsa Hadipour
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antioxidants; bioavailability; curcumin; dyskinesia; Glutathione peroxidase; L-dopa; Levodopa-induced dyskinesia; males; Nanocurcumin; Parkinson disease; Parkinsonism; rats; Superoxide dismutase
• ISSN: 2667-0313; 2667-0313
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phyplu.2022.100334

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) occurs in the majority of patients in long-term levodopa  administration due to the formation of free radicals, for which antioxidants like curcumin have been suggested. Because of curcumin's low bioavailability, some nano formulations have been developed. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of nanocurcumin on LID in a parkinsonian model of rat and its antioxidant assay. Thirty adults male Wistar rats weighing 220±20 g were randomly divided into five equal groups. To generate parkinsonism, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 3 mg/ml) was injected into the nigrostriatal area. Levodopa (50 mg/kg, twice daily) was administered on day 15 after Parkinsonism, to induce LID. For the final three weeks, nanocurcumin was injected intraperitoneally at two different doses (10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, i.p) with levodopa. Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) and Rotarod tests were performed to evaluate the movement disorders. Substantia nigra samples were collected for glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity assays. The results of the AIMS test demonstrated that nanocurcumin could reduce LID in all doses. The findings of the Rotarod test suggested that utilizing levodopa alone or in combination with nanocurcumin could help with Parkinson's disease movement abnormalities. Both the control parkinsonian and the LID groups had considerably lower glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity in antioxidant assays. In all tests, combining nanocurcumin with levodopa dramatically reduced GPx and SOD activities. Nanocurcumin was found to be beneficial in reducing LID in a rat parkinsonian model due to its antioxidant properties. [Display omitted]