l-theanine improves locomotor function in a model of multiple sclerosis mice

This study designed to investigate the protective effects of l-theanine on experimental multiple sclerosis in mice. frothy male c57bl/6 mice were allocated into 4 experimental groups: control no treatment received a regular chew pellet, and the cuprizone (cpz) group received a standard chew pellet containing 0.2% (w/w) cpz. in group 3, mice were fed a regular diet and administered p.o. with l-theanine (50 mg/kg). in group 4, mice received a diet containing cpz and were administered p.o. with l-theanine (50mg/kg). finally, reflexive motor behavior and serum antioxidant levels were determined. based on findings, cpz significantly decreased ambulation score, hind-limb suspension, front limb suspension, and grip strength (p<0.05). the cpz+l-theanine reduced the adverse effect of the cpz on ambulation score, hind-limb foot angle, surface righting, and negative geotaxis (p<0.05). the cpz+l-theanine increased front and hind-limb suspension, grip strength, number of the cross, and duration of a stay on the rotarod compared to the control animal (p<0.05). cpz administration significantly elevated serum malondialdehyde (mda) while superoxide dismutase (sod) and glutathione peroxidase (gpx) and total antioxidant status (tas) levels decreased compared to control mice (p<0.05). the cpz+l-theanine leads to the cessation of mda production while increasing sod, gpx, and tas levels (p<0.05). these results suggested l-theanine has a protective effect against cpz-induced ms in mice.