Neuroprotective Effect of Ghrelin on Substantia Nigra in Parkinson Disease Model Induced -MPTP

Parkinson's disease is a progressive central nervous system disorder. This disease is caused by degenerative loss of dopaminergic neurons of midbrain, from substantia nigra to corpus striatum pathway. Ghrelin act as a neuroprotective against Parkinson disease, and this study aimed to investigate protective effects of ghrelin on the substantia nigra area of brain in Parkinson disease model induced- MPTP.

Forty male NMRI mice were randomly divided into 5 groups of: control, saline, Parkinson, Parkinson + 0.0002 mg/kg ghrelin, and Parkinson +0.0004 mg/kg ghrelin. The Parkinson disease model was induced by MPTP intraperitoneally injection (25 mg/kg, i.p) for four days. The treatment was started one day after last MPTP inducement, by ghrelin intraperitoneally injection for 30 days. catalepsy was assessed by the means of a standard test bar. The brains were removed from the skull for histology (haematoxylin and eosin stain were used as the main principle), also tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and Interleukin 10(IL-10) levels in substantia nigra and corpus striatum was measured using ELISA method.

Ghrelin effectively reduces catalepsy levels and reduces the degenerative loss of dopaminergic neurons of substantia nigra pars compacta. It will meaningfully decrease the levels of TNF-α, and positively increases the levels of IL-10 in substantia nigra and corpus striatum.

Based on results obtained from this study, we can conclude that ghrelin has a neuroprotective role, improves catalepsy, reduces inflammatory factors, and increase anti-inflammatory factors in Parkinson disease rodent models.