Efeitos comportamentais e neuroquímicos da melatonina em ratos submetidos à lesão estriatal com 6-ohda

Abstract

The present work studied the neuroprotective effects of melatonin In vivo on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in rats after a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions in rat striatum. Results showed that the intrastriatal injection of 6-OHDA significantly decreases DA, DOPAC and HVA levels. Although there is also a decrease in 5-HT levels no changes were observed in 5-HIAA levels as compared to controls. On the other hand, melatonin (2, 5, 10 and 25 mg/kg, i.p., daily for 7 days) treatment starting 1 h after 6-OHDA lesions, partially reverses the decreases caused by 6-OHDA lesions on these neurotransmitter levels, and contents were brought to approximately 50% of that observed in the contralateral sides of controls or the melatonin treated group. Melatonin was more efficient at the doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p., and effects were similar between the lowest and highest doses characteristic of a bell-shaped type of response. Pretreatment and cronic treatment with melatonin at the 5mg/kg dose were also tested, cronic treatment promoted a recovey of monoamines levels more efficiently while the pretreatment effects were similar to the melatonin treatment at the dose of the 5mg/kg for 7 days. The apomorphine-induced rotational behavior (3 mg/kg, i.p.) was blocked by 60, 89, 78 and 47% after the doses of 2, 5, 10 and 25 mg/kg, i.p., respectively. Similarly, in this case the doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg were also more efficient. The cronic treatment blocked the rotational behavior by 86%. Melatonin (5mg/kg) produced an upregulation of D1 receptors associated with a decrease in Kd value. While no change was observed in maximum density of D2 receptors, the Kd value was also decreased, a similar effect was observed with its precursor N-acetylserotonin. Compared with sham-operated and expressed as a ratio relative to the contralateral side, there was an increase in the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA, 127%) on controls which was restored to normal levels on the melatonin treated group, suggesting the in vivo action of melatonin as an antioxidant. The present results may indicate a neuroprotective action of melatonin and suggest a possible role in the treatment of oxidative stress-induced neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson’s disease.