RESUMEN
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a profound neurological disorder that affects approximately 1% of the global population. Alpha-pinene (α-pinene) is a natural and active monoterpene found in coniferous tree oil, primarily pine, with diverse pharmacological characteristics, including antioxidative, anxiolytic, and antidepressant properties. This research study delves into the neuroprotective effects of α-pinene on oxidative stress, memory deficits, and depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in a ketamine-induced mice model of SCZ using male mice. The mice were randomly divided into six groups: vehicle, control, positive control, ketamine, α-pinene at 50 mg/kg, and α-pinene at 100 mg/kg. Treatment of the ketamine-induced mice model of SCZ with α-pinene yielded significant improvements in depressive and anxiety-like behaviors and cognitive impairments. Furthermore, it significantly elevated glutathione (GSH) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), dopamine levels, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities while markedly reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The current study establishes that α-pinene treatment effectively mitigates oxidative damage, cognitive deficits, and depressive and anxiogenic-like behaviors in the brains of ketamine-treated mice. Therefore, α-pinene treatment is an efficacious approach to forestall the neurobehavioral and neurobiochemical adverse effects of the ketamine-induced SCZ model of mice.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Natural compounds are used for prevention of inflammation. Curcumin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and loading it into nano-phytosomes may improve its efficiency. The present study investigates the effects of curcumin and its nano-phytosome on behavioral and biochemical responses in carrageenan-induced inflammation in the mice model. METHODS: The mice were divided into six groups and received oral administration of curcumin or its nano-phytosome at a dose of 15 mg/kg for seven days before the administration of carrageenan. Acute inflammation in the mice was induced by administration of carrageenan (1%) into the subplantar region of the left paw. Antioxidant activity and behavioral responses were then evaluated. RESULTS: The results showed that the serum concentrations of antioxidant enzymes were significantly higher in the sal+sal group compared to the cara+sal group (P<0.05). Using nanophytosome, separately and in combination with indomethacin, increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes compared to the cara+sal group (P<0.05). Latency was significantly lower in the cara+sal group compared to the cara+sal group (P<0.05), but it was considerably higher in other groups, especially in the cara+nano.ph.cur+indo group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It can be stated that the nano-phytosome of curcumin could improve antioxidant and behavioral responses in inflamed mice.