TUALANG HONEY ATTENUATES KAINIC ACID-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN RAT CEREBELLUM AND BRAINSTEM

Objective: The present study examined the protective effect of tualang honey (TH) against kainic acid (KA)-induced oxidative stress in the cerebellum and brainstem of rats.Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, KA-treated, TH+KA-treated, and topiramate (TPM, an antiepileptic agent)+KA-treated groups. Rats were pretreated orally with drinking water, TH (1.0 g/kg body weight), or TPM (40 mg/kg body weight), respectively, five times at 12 h intervals. Saline or KA (15 mg/kg body weight) were injected subcutaneously 30 min after last oral treatment. Rats were sacrificed at 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h after KA administration. Oxidative stress markers were analyzed in different brain regions (cerebellum and brainstem) 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h after KA administration.Results: KA caused significant (p<0.05) elevation in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level, protein carbonyl contents, and nitric oxide production, impairment of glutathione system, and a significant reduction in the total antioxidant status in the rat cerebellum and brainstem at multiple time-points, as compared to control groups. Pretreatment with TH significantly (p<0.05) reduced the elevation in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level, protein carbonyl contents, and nitric oxide production and increasing a reduction in the total antioxidant status in the rat cerebellum and brainstem induced by KA at multiple time-points, as compared to KA only-treated group.Conclusion: Taken together, this study suggests that TH has therapeutic potential in reducing oxidative stress in the cerebellum and brainstem of KA-induced rats via its antioxidant property

Natural Products and Their Bioactive Compounds: Neuroprotective Potentials against Neurodegenerative Diseases

In recent years, natural products, which originate from plants, animals, and fungi, together with their bioactive compounds have been intensively explored and studied for their therapeutic potentials for various diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, hypertension, reproductive, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are characterized by the progressive dysfunction and loss of neuronal structure and function that resulted in the neuronal cell death. Since the multifactorial pathological mechanisms are associated with neurodegeneration, targeting multiple mechanisms of actions and neuroprotection approach, which involves preventing cell death and restoring the function to damaged neurons, could be promising strategies for the prevention and therapeutic of neurodegenerative diseases. Natural products have emerged as potential neuroprotective agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This review focused on the therapeutic potential of natural products and their bioactive compounds to exert a neuroprotective effect on the pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases

Tualang honey and DHA-rich fish oil reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the rat brain following exposure to chronic stress

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Tualang honey (TH), DHA-rich fish oil, and their combination on the concentrations of selected pro-inflammatory cytokines in rat brains following exposure to chronic stress. Methods: Fifty male SpragueeDawley rats were divided into (i) control, (ii) stress-exposed, (iii) stress-exposed and treated with TH (1 g/kg body weight twice daily via oral gavage), (iv) stress-exposed and treated with DHA-rich fish oil (450 mg/kg body weight twice daily via oral gavage), and (v) stress-exposed and treated with a combination of TH and DHA-rich fish oil. The chronic stress regimen consisted of a combination of restraint stress and a swim stress test for 28 days. The concentrations of selected pro-inflammatory cytokines in brain homogenates (TNF-a, IL6, and IFN-g) were measured by ELISA. Results: The concentrations of TNF-a, IL6, and IFN-g in brain homogenates from the DHA, TH, and TH þ DHA-treated groups were significantly lower compared to the control and stress-only-exposed groups (p < 0.05), but no difference was observed between treatment groups. Conclusion: Consumption of DHA-rich fish oil and TH can be effective in lowering pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the brains of rats under chronic stress conditions. However, consuming these agents together does not provide additional benefits compared to taking them separately

Kainic Acid-Induced Excitotoxicity Experimental Model: Protective Merits of Natural Products and Plant Extracts

Excitotoxicity is well recognized as a major pathological process of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases involving the central nervous system (CNS). In the animal models of neurodegeneration, excitotoxicity is commonly induced experimentally by chemical convulsants, particularly kainic acid (KA). KA-induced excitotoxicity in rodent models has been shown to result in seizures, behavioral changes, oxidative stress, glial activation, inflammatory mediator production, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and selective neurodegeneration in the brain upon KA administration. Recently, there is an emerging trend to search for natural sources to combat against excitotoxicity-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Natural products and plant extracts had attracted a considerable amount of attention because of their reported beneficial effects on the CNS, particularly their neuroprotective effect against excitotoxicity. They provide significant reduction and/or protection against the development and progression of acute and chronic neurodegeneration. This indicates that natural products and plants extracts may be useful in protecting against excitotoxicity-associated neurodegeneration. Thus, targeting of multiple pathways simultaneously may be the strategy to maximize the neuroprotection effect. This review summarizes the mechanisms involved in KA-induced excitotoxicity and attempts to collate the various researches related to the protective effect of natural products and plant extracts in the KA model of neurodegeneration

Tualang Honey Reduced Neuroinflammation and Caspase-3 Activity in Rat Brain after Kainic Acid-Induced Status Epilepticus

The protective effect of tualang honey (TH) on neuroinflammation and caspase-3 activity in rat cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem after kainic acid- (KA-) induced status epilepticus was investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated orally with TH (1.0 g/kg body weight) five times at 12 h intervals. KA (15 mg/kg body weight) was injected subcutaneously 30 min after last oral treatment. Rats were sacrificed at 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h after KA administration. Neuroinflammation markers and caspase-3 activity were analyzed in different brain regions 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h after KA administration. Administration of KA induced epileptic seizures. KA caused significant (p < 0.05) increase in the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and increase in the caspase-3 activity in the rat cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and brainstem at multiple time points. Pretreatment with TH significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the elevation of TNF-α, IL-1β, GFAP, AIF-1, and COX-2 level in those brain regions at multiple time points and attenuated the increased caspase-3 activity in the cerebral cortex. In conclusion, TH reduced neuroinflammation and caspase-3 activity after kainic acid- (KA-) induced status epilepticus