Protective and Therapeutic Role of Curcumin and Caffeine in Experimental Model of Parkinson’s Disease in Rats

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease in elderly characterized pathologically by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons projecting from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) to striatum resulting, primarily, in motor clinical symptoms. The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective and therapeutic effects of curcumin, caffeine and their combination on experimentally induced animal model of PD. The analytical measurements were done on one hundred and ten male Wistar albino rats divided into eleven groups (10 each): Control group: rats were i.p injected with the vehicle (50µl dimethylsulfoxide + 950µl sunflower oil) in a dose of 1 ml/kg b.w./day. Curcumin (CUR) group: rats were orally administered with curcumin. Caffeine (CAF) group: rats were i.p. injected with caffeine. Curcumin plus caffeine (CUR+CAF) group: rats were orally administered with curcumin and i.p. injected with caffeine. Parkinson’s disease model (ROT) group: rats were daily i.p. injected with rotenone at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg b.w. for 45 day to induce the animal model of PD. Curcumin protected (CUR/Pr) group: rats received daily oral administration of curcumin followed by a daily i.p injection of rotenone with one hour interval. Caffeine protected (CAF/Pr) group: rats received a daily i.p injection of caffeine followed by a daily i.p injection of rotenone with one hour interval. Curcumin plus Caffeine protected (CUR+CAF/Pr) group: rats received a daily oral administration of curcumin and i.p injection of caffeine followed by a daily i.p injection of rotenone with one hour interval. Curcumin treated (CUR/Tr) group: after the induction of PD, rats were orally administered with curcumin. Caffeine treated (CAF/Tr) group: after the induction of PD, rats were i.p. injected with caffeine. Curcumin plus Caffeine treated (CUR+CAF/Tr) group: after the induction of PD, rats were received oral administration of curcumin and i.p injection of caffeine. The used curcumin dose was 80 mg/kg b.w. and the used caffeine dose was 30 mg/kg b.w.