Bambusa vulgaris attenuates Haloperidol-induced motor deficit and non-Motor co-morbidity in rats through up-regulation of Dopamine transmission and mitigation of pro-inflammatory cytokines activities

Abstract

Bamboo is a plant widely distributed in many parts of the world and grows in about 18 provinces in China. One of the species of the plant is Bambusa vulgaris. An ethnobotanical survey of the plant revealed its values in managing neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. This study examined the effect of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Bambusa vulgaris (BVE) on motor functions and non-motor co-morbidity, dopamine content, pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative species in haloperidol-treated rats. Rats were pretreated with distilled water (10 mL/kg), B. vulgaris extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) and levodopa-carbidopa (LD-CD; 25/100 mg/kg, orally). Precisely one hour post every treatment, haloperidol (2 mg/kg, i.p) was administered to the rats across all groups every 48 h for 21 days. Motor and non-motor functions were assessed on day 22. After that, brains were removed and processed for dopamine content evaluation, pro-inflammatory cytokines determination, oxidative damage assessment and histopathological examinations of the striatum and substantia nigra. B. vulgaris increased (P < 0.01; 400 mg/kg) the distance covered and decreased the frequency foot slips (P < 0.01, 0.001; 200–400 mg/kg) in the beam work test; decreased (P < 0.05–0.0001; 100–400 mg/kg) the catalepsy behavior in the catalepsy bar test; reversed hypo-locomotor activity (P < 0.0001; 400 mg/kg) in open field test; and decreased (P < 0.05–0.001; 100–400 mg/kg) the non-motor behavioural deficit in tail suspension test. BVE increased (P < 0.01; 200 mg/kg) dopamine concentration in the brain and decreased TNF-α (P < 0.05; 200 mg/kg) and IL-6 (P < 0.01, 0.001; 100–400 mg/kg) concentrations in the brain. BVE significantly increased the GSH (P < 0.05, 0.001; 100–200 mg/kg) and Catalase (P < 0.05, 0.01; 100–400 mg/kg) levels and decreased the MDA level (P < 0.05, 0.01; 200–400 mg/kg) in the brain tissue. Our findings suggest that the hydroethanol leaf extract of Bambusa vulgaris reverses the haloperidol-induced motor deficits and non-motor co-morbidity by mitigating the pathophysiological abnormalities associated with the progression of the disease. Based on these outcomes, the peak effect was observed at 200 mg/kg.