Quercetin exhibits potent antioxidant activity, restores motor and non-motor deficits induced by rotenone toxicity

PLoS One. 2021 Nov 12;16(11):e0258928. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258928. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The rotenone-induced animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been used to investigate the pathogenesis of PD. Oxidative stress is one of the main contributors of neurodegeneration in PD. Flavonoids have the potential to modulate neuronal function and combat various neurodegenerative diseases. The pre- and post-supplementation of quercetin (50 mg/kg, p.o) was done in rats injected with rotenone (1.5 mg/kg, s.c). After the treatment, behavioral activities were monitored for motor activity, depression-like behavior, and cognitive changes. Rats were decapitated after behavioral analysis and the brain samples were dissected out for neurochemical and biochemical estimation. Results showed that supplementation of quercetin significantly (p<0.01) restored rotenone-induced motor and non-motor deficits (depression and cognitive impairments), enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities (p<0.01), and attenuated neurotransmitter alterations (p<0.01). It is suggested that quercetin supplementation improves neurotransmitter levels by mitigating oxidative stress via increasing antioxidant enzyme activity and hence improves motor activity, cognitive functions, and reduces depressive behavior. The results of the present study showed that quercetin pre-supplementation produced more significant results as compared to post-supplementation. These findings show that quercetin can be a potential therapeutic agent to reduce the risk and progression of PD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Cognition / drug effects
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / chemically induced*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / drug therapy*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / metabolism
  • Depression / chemically induced*
  • Depression / drug therapy*
  • Depression / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / drug effects*
  • Neuroprotective Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Neurotransmitter Agents / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Parkinson Disease, Secondary / chemically induced*
  • Parkinson Disease, Secondary / drug therapy*
  • Parkinson Disease, Secondary / metabolism
  • Quercetin / administration & dosage*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Rotenone / administration & dosage
  • Rotenone / toxicity*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Neurotransmitter Agents
  • Rotenone
  • Quercetin

Grants and funding

Haider S received financial support from Higher Education Commission, Pakistan (http://www.hec.gov.pk/english/pages/home.aspx), under the approved project NRPU-3766. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.