Content area
Full text
Neurochem Res (2011) 36:177186 DOI 10.1007/s11064-010-0289-x
ORIGINAL PAPER
Antiparkinsonian Effects of Aqueous Methanolic Extractof Hyoscyamus niger Seeds Result From its Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitory and Hydroxyl Radical Scavenging Potency
T. Sengupta J. Vinayagam N. Nagashayana
B. Gowda P. Jaisankar K. P. Mohanakumar
Accepted: 29 September 2010 / Published online: 23 October 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
Abstract Hyoscyamus species is one of the four plants used in Ayurveda for the treatment of Parkinsons disease (PD). Since Hyoscyamus niger was found to contain negligible levels of L-DOPA, we evaluated neuroprotective potential, if any, of characterized petroleum ether and aqueous methanol extracts of its seeds in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of PD in mice. Air dried authenticated H. niger seeds were sequentially extracted using petroleum ether and aqueous methanol and were characterized employing HPLC-electrochemistry and LCMS. Parkinsonian mice were treated daily twice with the extracts (125500 mg/kg, p.o.) for two days and motor functions and striatal dopamine levels were assayed. Administration of the aqueous methanol extract (containing 0.03% w/w of L-DOPA), but not petroleum
ether extract, signicantly attenuated motor disabilities (akinesia, catalepsy and reduced swim score) and striatal dopamine loss in MPTP treated mice. Since the extract caused signicant inhibition of monoamine oxidase activity and attenuated 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP?)-
induced hydroxyl radical ( OH) generation in isolated
mitochondria, it is possible that the methanolic extract of Hyoscyamus niger seeds protects against parkinsonism in mice by means of its ability to inhibit increased OH
generated in the mitochondria.
Keywords Ayurveda Anti-parkinsonian activity
MAO-B inhibitor Antioxidant Hydroxyl radical
Akinesia Catalepsy Swim score
Introduction
Hyoscyamus niger L., commonly known as Henbane in English and Prasikayavani in Sanskrit [1] is a plant belonging to the family Solanaceae and is widely distributed in Europe and Asia. The plant contains tropane alkaloids (hyoscyamine, hyoscine and scopolamine) as well as avonol glycosides (quercitin, rutin, kaempferol), which are amongst the oldest drugs used in medicine [2]. The seeds of this plant are used in traditional therapy for the treatment of a variety of health problems such as asthma, cough, colic, diarrhea and genito-urinary complaints such as irritable bladder [3]. Medical treatises from the Roman and Byzantine times (2nd century BC to 7th century AD) mention H. sps as an analgesic, anti-inammatory and sedative agent [4]. In...