Abstract:

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of the traditional Chinese medicine nerve growth decoction on the paraquat(PQ)-induced rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods Forty adult male SD rats were randomly divided into negative control group, PQ model group, madopar group, and the traditional Chinese medicine group (n=10 in each group). PD model was generated through an intraperitoneal injection of PQ, and followed with treatment via intragastric administration traditional Chinese medicine or madopar, physiological saline as control.The animal behavior was detected through the rotarod test, open field test and drum test, and body weight was recorded before and after treatment. The numbers of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra were counted for statistical analysis after tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining to observe the changes of dopaminergic neurons. Results 1. Compared with negative control group, body weight of animals in other three groups showed a significant reduction. However, body weight increased gradually with time lapse, and finally, there was no significant difference between groups. 2. Behavioral test indicated that the PD animals showed a decreased time in rotarod, and drum test, and the moving distance significantly reduced and static time significantly prolonged in the open field test when compared with negative control group (P<0.001). One week after intragastric administration of the traditional Chinese medicine and madopar the behavior improved significantly in rotarod test, open field test and drum experiment (P<0.001 orP<0.01). Two weeks after intragastric administration the animals in the two treatment groups showed a significant improvement in rotarod test and open field test compared with the model group (P<0.001). 3. TH immunohistochemistry showed that the number of TH positive neurons in the traditional Chinese medicine group was less than the negative control group after 1 week intragastric administration, but more than the PD model group and madopar group either 1 week or 2 weeks after intragastric administration. 4.TH immunofluorescence indicated that the TH positive cell number in the traditional Chinese medicine group was more than the PD model group and madopar group. Their morphology was more complete, and their processes were more and longer than PD model and madopar groups, but had no difference with the negative control group. Conclusion The traditional Chinese medicine nerve growth decoction has therapeutic effects on PD rats induced by PQ.

Key words: Paraquat, Parkinson’s disease, Dopaminergic neuron, Madopar, Traditional Chinese medicine nerve growth decoction, Immunohistochemistry, Rat