تورانداخت بلوچ نژاد مجرد - Dept. of Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
مهرداد روغنی - Dept of Physiology, School of Medicine, Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
پرستو کاظملو - Dept of Physiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background and Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases and results from the extracellular accumulation of b-amyloid peptides and the resulting neuronal dysfunction. In this study, the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, protein kinase B (PKB) and protein kinase M (PKM) were evaluated in order to examine the mechanism of the protective effects of rosmarinic acid in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. Materials and Methods: Animals[vog۱]  were divided into ۶ groups consisting of ۱) Sham, ۲) Beta amyloid, ۳) Rosmarinic acid pretreated beta amyloid (۲۵ mg/kg), ۴-۶) Rosmarinic acid and PKM inhibitor, PKB inhibitor and acetylcholine receptor inhibitor pretreated beta amyloid. Two weeks post-surgery, behavioral (alternation percent in Y maze and step through latency in passive avoidance task) and histochemical (hippocampal malondialdehyde and neuronal density measurement) studies were performed. Results: Pretreatment of beta amyloid animals with rosmarinic acid considerably alleviated the behavioral and histochemical disturbances related to the hippocampus. In this group, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and PKB inhibitors decreased step through latency (p<۰.۰۰۱) and increased hippocampal malondialdehyde levels (p<۰.۰۰۱). In addition, PKB inhibitors decreased hippocampal neuronal density in rosmarinic acid pretreated beta amyloid rats (p<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it seems that in this experimental model of Alzheimer’s disease the protective effects of rosmarinic acid were derived from its antioxidant properties and partially via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, PKB and PKM.  [vog۱]Which animals?? How many???

Keywords: Rosmarinic acid, Oxidative stress, Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, Protein kinase B, Protein kinase