The beneficial effect of vanillin on 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is related to neuroinflammation. Vanillin, which possesses both antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, can be a candidate for neuroprotection in PD.

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of vanillin on the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rodent model of PD.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats were administrated intraperitoneal (i.p) or oral vanillin at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 7 days that was started at three days before or seven days after intracerebral injection of 6-OHDA. The 6-OHDA-induced lesions were assessed behaviorally using the apomorphine rotation test, neurochemically via measuring striatal dopamine concentrations, and through immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Both oral and IP vanillin at three days before or seven days after 6-OHDA lesioning exhbited significantly lower tight contralateral rotations upon apomorphine challenge, and higher striatal dopamine concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

Vanillin seems to offer protective properties against 6-OHDA lesion via preserving striatal dopamine levels.