Effects of Crocin on Rotational Behavior, Lipid Peroxidation and Nitrite Levels in Rat's Brain Striatum in an Experimental Model of Parkinson's Disease

Degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system is the pathologic hallmark of Parkinson''s disease (PD)، which leads to movement disorders. Compelling evidence implicates that oxidative stress plays an important role in degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of crocin، a potent antioxidant in saffron، in an experimental model of Parkinson''s disease in rat. 32 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 8 including sham، parkinsonian and parkinsonian treated with crocin at doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg. 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (16 µg in 0. 2% ascorbate-saline) was infused into the left medial forebrain bundle. Crocin was injected intraperitoneally from 3 days before the surgery until 6 weeks. Rats were tested for rotational behavior by injection of apomorphine hydrochloride (2 mg/kg، intraperitoneally) at the weeks 2، 4 and 6. Malondialdehyde and nitrite levels were measured in the striatum at the end of the week 6. The apomorphine-induced contralateral body rotations were highly significant in parkinsonian group at the end of the weeks 2، 4 and 6 compared to the sham group (P < 0. 001). Treatment of parkinsonian rats with crocin at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg did not change the rotations compared to the parkinsonian group. Malondialdehyde and nitrite levels in the striatum were significantly increased in parkinsonian group compared to the sham group (P < 0. 050). Treatment of parkinsonian rats with crocin at a dose of 60 mg/kg significantly decreased the nitrite levels in the striatum compared to the parkinsonian rats (P < 0. 05). However، treatment with crocin had no effect on malondialdehyde levels in the striatum. According to the present study، it seems that crocin at a dose of 60 mg/kg is effective on preventing the nitrosative stress in an experimental model of Parkinson''s disease. However، crocin has no effect on improvement of rotational behavior and oxidative damage.