RESUMO
The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of folic acid treatment in an animal model of aging induced by D-galactose (D-gal). For this propose, adult male Wistar rats received D-gal intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg) and/or folic acid orally (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. D-gal caused habituation memory impairment, and folic acid (10 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) reversed this effect. However, folic acid 50 mg/kg per se caused habituation memory impairment. D-gal increased the lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to proteins in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus from rats. Folic acid (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, or 50 mg/kg) partially reversed the oxidative damage to lipids in the hippocampus, but not in the prefrontal cortex, and reversed protein oxidative damage in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. D-gal induced synaptophysin and BCL-2 decrease in the hippocampus and phosphorylated tau increase in the prefrontal cortex. Folic acid was able to reverse these D-gal-related alterations in the protein content. The present study shows folic acid supplementation as an alternative during the aging to prevent cognitive impairment and brain alterations that can cause neurodegenerative diseases. However, additional studies are necessary to elucidate the effect of folic acid in aging.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento/metabolismo , Ácido Fólico/farmacologia , Habituação Psicofisiológica/efeitos dos fármacos , Transtornos da Memória/prevenção & controle , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Galactose , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Masculino , Memória/efeitos dos fármacos , Transtornos da Memória/induzido quimicamente , Transtornos da Memória/metabolismo , Córtex Pré-Frontal/efeitos dos fármacos , Córtex Pré-Frontal/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
Sepsis is the complex syndrome characterized by an imbalance between proinflammatory and antiinflammatory response to infection. The brain may be affected during the sepsis, and acute and long-term brain dysfunctions have been observed in both animal models and septic patients. Oxidative stress and antioxidant systems may prove the basis underling brain dysfunction in sepsis. The antioxidant therapy may be theoretically achieved by the following strategies: restoring endogenous antioxidants and nutrients and supplementation with exogenous trace elements, vitamins, and nutrients with antioxidant proprieties; or administering drugs that reduce oxidative stress, such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC), vitamins and statins. In the review, we described below the involvement of oxidative stress and antioxidants defenses and potential utility of these strategies and present data regarding their use in sepsis.