Objective: (1) Curcumin is well tolerated phenolic compound used for CNS disorder but problem is its low oral bioavailability and (2) Piperine is combined to enhance curcumin bioavailability used as neuromodulatory, neuroprotective in movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

Background: MPTP is a neurotoxin which by regressing dopaminergic neurons produces Parkinson’s like manifestations both in human and rodents. Curcumin, a diarylheptanoid has propitious antioxidant and neuroprotective activity but major complication is its poor oral bioavailability. For this reason the present study was designed to investigate the effect of curcumin along with bioenhancer piperine against MPTP induced neurotoxicity in rats.

Methods: Rats were administered MPTP (100 µg/1 µL bilaterally) for 3 days (i.e. 1st, 4th and 7th). Curcumin (25 and 50 mg/kg) and combination of curcumin (25 mg/kg) with piperine (2.5 mg/kg) was administered daily for 21 days starting from the 7th day of 1st MPTP injection. Body weight and behavioral observations (locomotor, Rotarod, Grip Strength and Narrow beam walk performance) were recorded at weekly intervals after MPTP treatment. On the 22nd day, the animals were sacrificed and the rat striatum was isolated for the estimation of biochemical parameters (lipid peroxidation, glutathione and nitrite), determination of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α and IL-6) and neurochemical analysis (glutamate, dopamine, norepinephrine, 5-HT).

Results: The present finding showed that chronic curcumin treatment (for 14 days) showed beneficial effect against MPTP induced motor deficit, biochemical and neurochemical alterations in rats. Moreover combination of piperine (2.5 mg/kg) with curcumin (25 mg/kg) significantly potentiates the protective effect compared to curcumin alone treated group.

Conclusions: Curcumin in combination with piperine has pluripharmacological properties against MPTP–induced behavioral and neurological alteration by enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in rats.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/piperine-potentiates-neuroprotective-effect-of-curcumin-in-mptp-model-of-parkinsons-disease-in-rats-impact-on-neurochemical-modulation/