Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Elimination of high-refined-sugar diet as treatment strategy for autistic features induced in a rodent model

Sooad Al-Daihan¹, Ramesa S Bhat¹ , Abeer M AI Dbass¹, Laila Al-Ayadhi^3,4,5, Afaf El-Ansary^2,3,4

¹Biochemistry Department, Science College; ²Central Laboratory, Female Center for Medical Studies and Scientific Section; ³Autism Research and Treatment Center; ⁴Shaik Al-Amodi Autism Research Chair; ⁵Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

For correspondence:- Ramesa Bhat Email: rbhat@ksu.edu.sa Tel:+6614682184

Received: 7 January 2016 Accepted: 14 June 2017 Published: 31 July 2017

Citation: Al-Daihan S, Bhat RS, Dbass AM, Al-Ayadhi L, El-Ansary A. Elimination of high-refined-sugar diet as treatment strategy for autistic features induced in a rodent model. Trop J Pharm Res 2017; 16(7):1637-1644 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v16i7.24

© 2017 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the potency of ampicillin in altering gut flora in the presence of a high-sucrose diet in rat pups, and to determine its effect on selected neurotransmitters and a cytokine as markers of the persistent autistic features repeatedly induced in orally administered propionic acid rat pups..

Methods: Twenty-eight young male Wistar albino rats were divided into four equal groups. The first group served as a control. The second group received an oral neurotoxic dose of propionic acid (PPA, 250 mg/kg body weight/day) for 3 days. The third group was treated with ampicillin (50 mg/kg for 3 weeks) with a standard diet. The fourth group was given the same dose of ampicillin with a high-sucrose diet for 10 weeks.

Results: The results showed a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in the investigated neurotransmitters in PPA- and ampicillin-treated rat pups (norepinephrine by 32.49 and 14.58 %, dopamine by 31.45 and 20.22 %, serotonin by 35.99 and 29.09 %), as well as a remarkable increase (p < 0.001) in the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6 (30.07and 6.07 %). The high-sucrose diet also significantly (p < 0.001) enhanced the neurotoxic effect of ampicillin.

Conclusion: The observed dietary modulation of the gut microbiota, coupled with the subsequent modulation of brain neurochemistry and inflammation, demonstrates the considerable potential of dietary intervention through the elimination of highly refined sugar as a treatment strategy to prevent and treat autism.

Keywords: Neurotoxicity, Ampicillin, Propionic acid, Neurotransmitters, Cytokines, High-sucrose diet