Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Tetramethyl pyrazine exerts anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects in a mouse model of MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease via regulation of the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Nrf2 and GCLC.

Lixing Dai¹, Ruiqing Diao², Jinghua Zhang³, Mengying Cao¹, Hongli Gao⁴, Bibo Tang⁵

¹Department of General Practice, Hubei Province Third People's Hospital Affiliated to Jianghan University, Wuhan 430033; ²Department of Neurology, Gucheng County Hospital of Hebei Province, Hengshui 253800, Hebei Province; ³Department of Encephalopathy, Tianjin Beichen District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300400; ⁴Department of Medical, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi 445000; ⁵Department of Critical Care Medicine, Hubei Province Third People's Hospital Affiliated to Jianghan University, Wuhan 430033, Hubei Province, China.

For correspondence:- Bibo Tang Email: tzkf64@163.com

Accepted: 26 April 2021 Published: 30 May 2021

Citation: Dai L, Diao R, Zhang J, Cao M, Gao H, Tang B. Tetramethyl pyrazine exerts anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects in a mouse model of MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease via regulation of the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, Nrf2 and GCLC.. Trop J Pharm Res 2021; 20(5):893-898 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v20i5.2

© 2021 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of tetramethyl pyrazine (TMP) on MPTP)-mediated neuronal apoptosis and oxidative imbalance in mice, and the mechanism of action involved.

Methods: Forty-five mice were assigned evenly to blank control, MPTP and TMP groups. The protein concentrations of Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome C (Cyt c), Nrf2, GCLC and cleaved caspase-3; and levels of glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive products (TBARS) were evaluated and compared amongst the groups.

Results: Cyt c, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels in TMP group were significantly lower than those in MPTP group, while Bcl-2 protein expression was higher in TMP group than in MPTP mice (p < 0.05). Furthermore, TBARS was lower in TMP group than in MPTP group, while GSH level increased, relative to MPTP mice. The levels of Nrf2 and GCLC were significantly higher in TMP group than in MPTP group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Tetramethyl pyrazine exerts anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects on MPTP-mediated Parkinsonism via regulation of the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, Nrf2 and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit. Thus, TMP has potential for use in the treatment Parkinson’s disease

Keywords: Tetramethyl pyrazine, Bax, Bcl-2, Nrf2, glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit, MPTP, Parkinsonism