Avaliação da administração crônica de Mucuna pruriens sobre parâmetros bioquímicos e hematológicos e de seus efeitos neuroprotetores, em modelo de doença de Parkinson

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The cardinal signals of the disease are bradykinesia, resting tremor and postural instability. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s disease, for which there is no neurorestorative treatment. Mucuna pruriens is used in traditional medicine especially in India to treat PD, since it is known to contain L-DOPA among other bioactive constituents, still considered a gold-standard for the treatment of PD. In the present study, we observed that the daily oral administration of the extract of M. pruriens for 14 days (50 and 100 mg/kg) increases the DA concentrations in the striatum after the unilateral 6-OHDA lesion in rats. At the doses used, equivalent to 25 and 50 mg/kg synthetic L-DOPA, no changes were observed in striatal contents of NE, 5-HT or its metabolite 5-HIAA. In addition, no significant alterations were demonstrated in biochemical or hematological parameters after the extract administration, at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg up to 90 days. Our results point out to a neuroprotective effect and confirm the potential benefit of M. pruriens for the treatment of PD.