Effect of wheat grass powder on aluminum induced Alzheimer's disease in Wistar rats

Veera Raghavulu Bitra; Deepthi Rapaka; Nalini Mathala; Annapurna Akula

doi:10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60246-7

Effect of wheat grass powder on aluminum induced Alzheimer's disease in Wistar rats

Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2014 Sep:7S1:S278-81. doi: 10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60246-7.

Authors

Veera Raghavulu Bitra¹, Deepthi Rapaka², Nalini Mathala¹, Annapurna Akula¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, AP, India.
² College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, AP, India. Electronic address: deepthirapaka7@gmail.com.

PMID: 25312136
DOI: 10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60246-7

Abstract

Objective: To find out the effect of wheat grass on aluminum induced Alzheimer's disease in Wistar rats.

Methods: Memory impairment was induced by aluminum chloride (4.2 mg/kg, i.p.) for 28 d. Memory function was assessed by Morris water maze test. To study the activity of wheat grass (100 mg/kg, p.o.), Wistar rats were administered it for 28 d along with aluminum chloride. Biochemical parameters of oxidative stress were estimated in brain after the treatment.

Results: The major finding of this study is that aluminum enhanced oxidative stress. Wheat grass showed a significant improvement in reduction of this oxidative stress by reduction of malondialdehyde levels and enhancement of superoxide dismutase and catalase levels.

Conclusions: The present study clearly demonstrated the beneficial effects of wheat grass that shows good antioxidant properties, and this remarkable effect of wheat grass may act as a key to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Keywords: Aluminum; Alzheimer's disease; Oxidative stress; Wheat grass powder.