The effect of nobiletin on apoptosis in midbrain and neostriatum in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease induced by intranigral injection of lipopolysaccharide

Nobiletin is a flavonoid in the citrus. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties of nobiletin have been observed in many recent studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of nobiletin on apoptosis in an experimental model of Parkinson's disease induced by intranigral injection of lipopolysaccharide in the rat.

Male rats (n = 28) were divided into four groups: sham, sham under treatment with nobiletin, lesion, and lesion treated with nobiletin. To achieve unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal system, rats received 5 microgram of LPS into the right substantia nigra. Nobiletin was daily administered p.o. at a dose of 10 mg/kg one hour after surgery for one week. At the end of the first week, tissue homogenate was prepared and severity of apoptosis wasmeasured.

The results showed that treatment with nobiletin decreases the level of DNA fragmentation in the LPS group ascompared to the LPS group in midbrain area (p <0.05).

Administration of nobiletin to lipopolysaccharide-induced Parkinsonian rats reduces apoptosis and may be potentially effective for ancillary therapy of Parkinson's disease.