Abstract
Oxidative modification of biomolecules has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many neuronal disorders including cognitive function. Antioxidant defense mechanisms in the brain might be insufficient to prevent increase in oxidative damage and that dietary intake of a variety of antioxidants might be beneficial for preserving brain function. Present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the protective effect of α-lipoic acid against radiation-induced impairment in the water maze learning and spontaneous motor activity of mice. Acute intraperitoneal treatment of mice with α-lipoic acid (150 mg/kg body weight) prior to X-irradiation (6 Gy) significantly mitigated the radiation-induced decline in the spontaneous motor activities as well as water maze learning. Cyclic voltametric and deferential pulse voltametric evaluation indicated a profound protective potential of α-lipoic acid against radiation-induced decline in low molecular weight antioxidants. Biochemical estimation of protein carbonyls and melondieldehide in mice cerebellum indicated that radiation-induced augmented level of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation products has been significantly (P<0.001) ameliorated in α-lipoic acid pre-treated mice cerebellum. Radiation-induced deficit of non protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) content of cerebellum and plasma ferric reduced power (FRAP) was also normalized by α-lipoic acid pre-treatment. Results indicate the antioxidative as well as neuroprotective potential of α-lipoic acid against the radiation.
