Involvement of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and BDNF up-regulating properties in the antipsychotic-like effect of the essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet in mice: a comparative study with olanzapine.
Fernanda Yvelize Ramos de AraújoAdriano José Maia Chaves FilhoAdriana Mary NunesGersilene Valente de OliveiraPatrícia Xavier Lima GomesGermana Silva VasconcelosJaqueline CarlettiManoel Odorico de MoraesMaria Elisabete de MoraesSilvânia Maria Mendes VasconcelosFrancisca Cléa Florenço de SousaDavid Freitas de LucenaDanielle Silveira MacêdoPublished in: Metabolic brain disease (2021)
The current drug therapy for schizophrenia effectively treats acute psychosis and its recurrence; however, this mental disorder's cognitive and negative symptoms are still poorly controlled. Antipsychotics present important side effects, such as weight gain and extrapyramidal effects. The essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet (EOAZ) leaves presents potential antipsychotic properties that need further preclinical investigation. Here, we determined EAOZ effects in preventing and reversing schizophrenia-like symptoms (positive, negative, and cognitive) induced by ketamine (KET) repeated administration in mice and putative neurobiological mechanisms related to this effect. We conducted the behavioral evaluations of prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI), social interaction, and working memory (Y-maze task), and verified antioxidant (GSH, nitrite levels), anti-inflammatory [interleukin (IL)-6], and neurotrophic [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)] effects of this oil in hippocampal tissue. The atypical antipsychotic olanzapine (OLZ) was used as standard drug therapy. EOAZ, similarly to OLZ, prevented and reversed most KET-induced schizophrenia-like behavioral alterations, i.e., sensorimotor gating deficits and social impairment. EOAZ had a modest effect on the prevention of KET-associated working memory deficit. Compared to OLZ, EOAZ showed a more favorable side effects profile, inducing less cataleptic and weight gain changes. EOAZ efficiently protected the hippocampus against KET-induced oxidative imbalance, IL-6 increments, and BDNF impairment. In conclusion, our data add more mechanistic evidence for the anti-schizophrenia effects of EOAZ, based on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and BDNF up-regulating actions. The absence of significant side effects observed in current antipsychotic drug therapy seems to be an essential benefit of the oil.
Keyphrases
- anti inflammatory
- working memory
- weight gain
- essential oil
- bipolar disorder
- drug induced
- body mass index
- birth weight
- transcranial direct current stimulation
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- stress induced
- mental health
- healthcare
- high glucose
- diabetic rats
- traumatic brain injury
- weight loss
- adverse drug
- fatty acid
- high fat diet induced
- hepatitis b virus
- cell therapy
- stem cells
- intensive care unit
- electronic health record
- sleep quality
- big data
- metabolic syndrome
- risk assessment
- brain injury
- fluorescent probe
- gestational age
- machine learning
- pain management
- human health
- bone marrow