Sulaiman, Siti Amrah
(2016)
Evaluation of neuroprotective effects of
tualang honey on paraquat-induced oxidative
stress & dopaminergic neuron damage in the
rat brain.
Project Report.
Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
(Submitted)
Abstract
Background: Paraquat is a dopaminergic neurotoxin and exerts its toxic effect via oxidative stress-mediated
cellular injuries. The protective effects of Tualang honey on paraquat-induced toxicity in the midbrain and
lungs of rats were investigated.
Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups; : control (N), honey (TH),
paraquat (PQ), paraquat + honey (PQ+ TH) and paraquat + ubiquinol (PQ+QH). The rats were orally treated
with distilled water (groups N & PQ, 2 mLkg/day), Tualang honey (groups TH & PQ+TH, 1.0 g/kg/day) or
ubiquinol (group PQ+QH, 0.2 g/kg/day) throughout the experimental period. Two weeks after the respective
treatments, rats were administered intraperitoneal injections of saline (Groups N & TH; 1 mLkg/week) or
paraquat (10 mg/kg/week; groups PQ, PQ + TH & PQ + QH) once a week for four consecutive weeks.
Animals were sacrificed a week after the last injection of saline/paraquat. The midbrain and lungs were
collected for biochemical (n=8) and immunohistochemical (n=7) assessments.
Results: The present study showed that exposures to paraquat induced oxidative stress in both the midbrain
and lung regions. In the midbrain region, the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the amount of
tyrosine-hydroxylase (TyrH)-immunopositive neurons were significantly reduced in animals from group PQ.
However, treatment with Tualang honey ameliorated these toxic effects. The lungs of group PQ showed a
statistically significant reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and total
glutathione (GSH) activities. Treatment with honey (group PO-t TH) significantly increased SOD activity in the
lung (p < 0.05) and ameliorated the loss in GST activity and the total GSH concentration compared to group
PQ. The beneficial effects of Tualang honey were comparable to ubiquinol, which was the control drug used
in this study.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that Tualang honey may protect against
paraquat-induced toxicity in rats.
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