Protective effect of Ficus religiosa (L.) against 3-nitropropionic acid induced Huntington disease

Huntington’s disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by cognitive and motor dysfunction, abnormal energy metabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction. 3 nitropropionic acid (3 NP) is a gold model used to induce Huntington’s disease in animals. Ficus religiosa is supposed to have effective neuroprotective role on oxidative stress and cognitive functions. The present study has been designed to demonstrate the neuroprotective role of ethyl acetate and ethanolic extract of Ficus religiosa leaves against 3 NP induced nerotoxicity in rats. Ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of Ficus religiosa were prepared by soxhaltion method and were administered (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o) for 14 days in 3 NP treated animals. 3 NP (30 mg/kg, i.p) was administered for 14 days systemically. Behavioral assessments were performed on 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th and 14th day. Animals were sacrificed on 14th day for biochemical and histpathological estimation. This study indicated significant alteration in behavioral parameters (hypolocomotion, muscle incoordination and memory deficit), biochemical (increased lipid peroxidation, decreased catalase, superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione), and increased neurochemical (increased acetylcholinesterase enzyme) in 3 NP treated animals. Higher dose of ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts (400 mg/kg) of Ficus religiosa prevented behavioral, biochemical and neurochemical alterations compared to 3 NP treated rats. Lower doses (100 and 200 mg/kg) of both extracts per se did not show significant activity. The study thus proved that Ficus religiosa treatment protects the brain from oxidative stress and might be incorporated of this plant as prophylactic therapy for treatment of Huntington’s disease. © 2016, Institute of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University and Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.