Abstract
Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. All. (Anacardiaceae) is a Brazilian medicinal species, which is common to the Northeastern Brazilian semiarid region, whose stem-bark is widely used in folk medicine. It is an endangered species, presenting as main bioactive components tannins and chalcones. In this work, we studied the neuroprotective effects of a standardized extract from cultivated M. urundeuva (SEMU), in a model of Parkinson's disease. Thus, a unilateral injection of 6-OHDA was done into the rat right stratum. The animals were submitted to stereotaxic surgery, then treated with SEMU (5, 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks, subjected to behavioral tests, and euthanized for striata dissections and neurochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical analyses. We showed, for the first time, that SEMU reverted behavioral alterations seen in the 6-OHDA-lesioned group and partially blocked the decrease in DA and DOPAC contents. The numbers of viable neurons and TH immunopositive cells were increased by SEMU. In addition, the SEMU-treated 6-OHDA groups showed lower numbers of GFAP and OX-42 immunopositive cells. The neuroprotective action of SEMU is possibly related to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of M. urundeuva, pointing out to its potential use in the prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson's disease.
Highlights
The SO and untreated 6-OHDA groups were orally administered with distilled water, under the same experimental conditions as those of the 6-OHDA groups treated with SEMU
We showed for the first time the neuroprotective effects of a standardized extract from a Brazilian medicinal plant, M. urundeuva
We showed that a chalcone-rich fraction isolated from M. urundeuva presents analgesic and antiinflammatory activities, in experimental models of nociception and inflammation [4]
Summary
The stem bark of this species is popularly used for gynecological conditions, mainly as a postpartum medication, and this use is justified by the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of this plant, as previously demonstrated by us in several experimental models [1, 2]. Tannins are defined as phenolic compounds of high molecular weight (ranging from 500 to more than 3000 Daltons), mainly present in the plant bark and wood. They bound to proteins, forming insoluble or soluble tanninprotein complexes. They have been closely associated with the plant defense mechanisms against mammalian herbivores and insects [5]
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