Protective effect of resveratrol and tannic acid combination on aluminium chloride induced neurotoxicity in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and one of the most common causes of dementia. Despite recent advancements, there exists an unmet need for a suitable therapeutic option. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of the combination of resveratrol (20 mg/kg/day p.o.) and tannic acid (50 mg/kg/day p.o.) to reduce aluminium trichloride-induced Alzheimer's disease in rats. METHODS: Wistar rats weighing 150-200g were administered with aluminium chloride (100 mg/kg/day p.o.) for 90 days to induce neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobehavioral changes were assessed using novel object recognition test, elevated plus maze test, and Morris water maze test. Histopathological studies were performed using H&E stain and Congo Red stains to check amyloid deposits. Further oxidative stress was measured in brain tissue. RESULTS: Aluminium trichloride treated negative control group showed cognitive impairment in the Morris water maze test, novel object recognition test, and elevated plus maze test. Further, the negative control group showed significant oxidative stress, increase amyloid deposits, and severe histological changes. Treatment with the combination of resveratrol and tannic acid showed significant attenuation in cognitive impairment. The oxidative stress markers and amyloid plaque levels were significantly attenuated with the treatment. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates the beneficial effects of resveratrol-tannic acid combination in AlCl3 induced neurotoxicity in rats.

Cyclin dependent kinase 5: A novel avenue for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most frequently encountered diseases in adults with progressive loss of memory and behavioral changes. Inspite of there being an intense research in the field of AD, only a few chemical entities exhibiting anti-AD activity make it through the clinical trials and it is thus need of an hour to develop new drugs or repurpose the existing ones for better management of Alzheimer's disease. Novel therapeutic targets can influence drug discovery in the field of AD. Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 (Cdk5) which is a serine/threonine kinase can prove to be an upcoming beneficial target to be studied for treating AD. Cdk5 is important for development of CNS and neuron movements, however in AD pathological stimuli cause Cdk5 hyperactivation which eventually results in hyperphosphorylation of various substrates such as amyloid precursor protein, tau and many more. This review provides an insight on Cdk5 as a target for treatment of AD and discuss therapeutic candidates for targeting it.