Beneficial anti-Parkinson effects of camel milk in Chlorpromazine-induced animal model: Behavioural and histopathological study

Potential roles of natural products have been identified for preventing or treating various diseases. our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of camel milk in an animal model of parkinson's disease and compare it with standard treatment (levodopa + carbidopa combination). 40 wistar albino rats weighing 200-250 gram were divided into four groups of 10 animals each. group i was kept on water and served as normal control,group ii served as negative control,treated with chlorpromazine (5mg/kg i.p.),group iii was given camel milk (33ml/kg p.o) and group iv the standard combination of levodopa + carbidopa (100+10mg/kg) respectively,30 minutes after chlorpromazine treatment. all animals were subjected to the drugs treatment for 30 days. catalepsy was assessed by bar test on day 21 and day 30 at 30,60,90 and 120 minutes interval. on 30th day animals were sacrificed and whole brains were examined for histopathological changes. the results revealed highly significant (p≤0.001) anti-cataleptic effect of camel milk on day 21 and 30 in comparison to chlorpromazine. when compared with standard therapy,the results showed that anti-parkinson's activity of camel milk was significant (p≤0.01) on day 21. however,the difference in activity was non-significant on day 30. histopathology of the brain showed that administration of camel milk reveals intact architecture with mild degenerative changes than chlorpromazine and levodopa + carbidopa treated animals. in conclusion,camel milk possesses anti-parkinson's activity. however,its long term efficacy and safety needs to be evaluated clinically.