Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) leaf extract modulates purinergic and cholinergic enzyme activities in the brain homogenate of 5-fluorouracil administered rats.

This study investigated the effect of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) leaf aqueous extract (TE) on purine and acetylcholine hydrolyzing enzyme activities and antioxidant status in the brain of 5-fluorouracil (5-FLU) administered rats. Sixty adult Wistar rats (210-225 g) were divided into Ten groups (n = 6). Group 1: received normal saline orally (NC), group 2, 3, 4 and 5 rats were respectively received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of TE and Vitamin C (25 mg/kg) orally; group 6 rats received normal saline orally and 150 mg/kg of 5-FLU via i.p., on the last day; rats in group 7, 8, 9 and 10 were orally pretreated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of TE and Vit C (25 mg/kg) respectively, and administered with 150 mg/kg of 5-FLU i.p., on the last day. The purine [adenosine 5'-tri- and di-phosphatases (ATPase and ADPase), adenosine deaminase (ADA)] nucleotide and acetylcholine hydrolyzing [acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butrylcholinesterase (BChE)] enzymes as well as arginase activities and antioxidant status were assessed. The result revealed that untreated 5-FLU rats had increased enzyme activities, which was reduced in the normal rats treated TE compared to NC. Interestingly, the TE-pretreated rats administered with 5-FLU had reduced enzyme activities compared with untreated 5-FLU rats. The antioxidant status was also normalized in the 5-FLU administered rats pretreated with TE Thus, the neuroprotective mechanisms of TE could be linked to attenuation of neuroactive enzymes and antioxidant status.