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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: 6-OHDA; Parkinson’s disease; Vanillin; dopamine; immunostaining; striatum.