European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EFFECT OF MORIN ON PERPHENAZINE INDUCED PSEUDO-PARKINSONISM IN RAT

Neda Sistani Karampour, Ardeshir Arzi* and Ali Doosalivand

ABSTRACT

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Morin has been shown to exert neuroprotective and anti-oxidant effects in different models of neurodegenerative diseases. In this pilot study 40 male rats (weight range: 160-200 g) were randomly divided into 5 equal groups (n= 8). In group 1 (300 mg/kg morin), group 2 (400 mg/kg morin), group 3 (500 mg/kg morin), group 4 (10 mg/kg L-Dopa) and group 5 (5 ml/kg normal-saline) intraperitoneal injection was performed. In all groups, after 30 minutes of the first injection, 5 mg/kg perphenazine was intraperitoneally injected. The muscle stiffness, using Morpurgo method, rate of catalepsy using BAR test, and the amount of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Glutathione (GSH) levels were evaluated at different time points after injection in all groups. According to Morpurgo test results, mean rate of muscle stiffness was significantly lower in the morin 400 and 500 mg/kg groups compared to the 300 mg/kg morin group at all time points. Muscle stiffness values in the 400 mg/kg morin group were significantly greater than the 500 mg/kg group only at 60 and 90 minutes after perphenazine injection, whereas for the other periods the two groups showed no significant differences. According to BAR test results, the mean length of muscle stiffness period was not significantly different between the 400 and 500 mg/kg morin and L-Dopa groups, whereas this period in the 300 mg/kg morin group was significantly lower than these three groups. The mean of MDA in the L-Dopa group was significantly lower than the other groups, followed by the morin 500 and 400 mg/kg groups, respectively. The L-Dopa group showed the greatest mean GSH value that was statistically significant compared with other groups. The second and third rank of GSH values was respectively for the morin 500 and 400 mg/kg groups. The results of study reported the effectiveness of morin on improving muscle stiffness and muscle weakness, which it was dose dependent and were more effective at higher doses.

Keywords: Parkinson, Morin, Muscle Stiffness, Malondialdehyde, Glutathione.