Berberine chloride pretreatment exhibits neuroprotective effect against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neuronal insult in rat

Parkinson’s disease (pd) is a rather common movement disorder as a result of the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons within the substantianigra. current treatments for pd afford symptomatic relief with no prevention of disease progression. due to the neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic potential of the isoquinoline alkaloid berberine (bbr),this study was conducted to assess whether bbr pretreatment could attenuate behavioral and neuronal derangement in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-ohda)-induced model of pd in the rat. unilateral intrastriatal 6-ohda-lesioned rats received bbr at doses of 25 and/or 50 mg/kg (i.p.) three times at an interval of 24 h,started 2 days before the surgery. after 1 week,apomorphine caused significant contralateral rotations and a significant reduction in the number of nissl-stained and tyrosine-hydroxylase (th)-positive neurons on the left side of the substantianigra. bbr pretreatment at a dose of 50 mg/kg significantly reduced rotations and prevented loss of th-positive neurons. these results indicate pre-lesion administration of bbr could protect against 6-ohda toxicity and this may be of benefit besides other available therapies in pd. © 2015 by school of pharmacy shaheed beheshti university of medical sciences and health services.