Zhichan powder regulates nigrostriatal dopamine synthesis and metabolism in Parkinson's disease rats

Qingwei Zhou; Jiajun Chen; Shihong Yi; Yongwei Lou; Weimin Tang; Yongmao Liu; Pengguo Zhang

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.27.004

Zhichan powder regulates nigrostriatal dopamine synthesis and metabolism in Parkinson's disease rats

Neural Regen Res. 2012 Sep 25;7(27):2107-14. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.27.004.

Authors

Qingwei Zhou¹, Jiajun Chen², Shihong Yi³, Yongwei Lou⁴, Weimin Tang³, Yongmao Liu³, Pengguo Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Regenerative Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
² Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130013, Jilin Province, China.
³ Department of Immunology, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.
⁴ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Changchun Municipal People's Hospital, Changchun 130041, Jilin Province, China.
⁵ Department of Radiology, Second Clinical Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Jilin Province, China.

PMID: 25558223
PMCID: PMC4281411
DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.27.004

Abstract

In this study, rat models of Parkinson's disease induced by substantia nigra injection of 6-hydroxy-dopamine were intragastrically administered Zhichan powder daily for 50 days. Reverse transcription PCR results showed that tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression in the rat substantia nigra was significantly increased, while monoamine oxidase B mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the Zhichan powder group, compared with the model group. In addition, the levels of striatal dopamine and homovanillic acid, the ratio of dopamine to homovanillic acid, and the activity of blood superoxide dismutase were all higher in the Zhichan powder group than in the model group, but the content of malondialdehyde in blood was lower. Our experimental findings indicate that Zhichan powder has an antioxidant effect, it can regulate the expression of monoamine oxidase B and tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease rats, and it can facilitate the secretion of striatal dopamine and its metabolite homovanillic acid.

Keywords: Chinese herbal compound; Parkinson’s disease; Zhichan powder; dopamine; homovanillic acid; malondialdehyde; monoamine oxidase B; neural regeneration; neurodegenerative diseases; superoxide dismutase; tyrosine hydroxylase.