Xiang_2018_Mol.Med.Rep_17_7959

Azadirachta indica has previously been demonstrated to act as a multifunctional medicinal plant for >2,000 years in India, and its neighboring countries. Currently, it is considered a natural resource with great value used in industrial product development and as a medicine for various types of diseases. The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of Azadirachta indica which improved functional recovery in the 6hydroxydopamine induced rat Parkinson's disease (PD) model. Catalase, glutathioneperoxidase, tumor necrosis factoralpha, interleukin (IL)1beta, IL6, nuclear factor (NF)kappaB p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and AChE activity levels were analyzed via ELISA. Western blotting was used to analyze B cell lymphoma2 associated X protein (Bax), cytochrome c and p53 protein expression. Treatment with Azadirachta indica significantly decreased the PDinduced rotational behavior in rats. PDinduced catalase, glutathioneperoxidase, iNOS activity and iNOS protein expression were significantly suppressed by treatment with Azadirachta indica. Inflammatory factors, acetylcholinesterase activity and cyclooxygenase2 protein expression levels were additionally significantly suppressed by treatment with Azadirachta indica. The protein expression levels of Bax, cytochrome c and p53 were decreased and caspase3 and caspase9 activities diminished, with treatment with Azadirachta indica. Therefore, Azadirachta indica was demonstrated to exhibit neuroprotective antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects in Parkinson's disease.