Potential neuroprotective effect of cannabidiol in a preclinical model of Parkinson's disease
Name: JOÃO GABRIEL ASSIS TOLEDO
Publication date: 18/10/2024
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ANDRE WILLIAN HOLLAIS | Examinador Interno |
| RITA GOMES WANDERLEY PIRES | Presidente |
| SARAH MARTINS PRESTI DA SILVA | Examinador Externo |
Summary: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, second only to Alzheimer's disease. PD is characterized by the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to a decrease in dopamine release in the striatum region. The increase in cases of death and disability from PD has increased more than any other neurodegenerative disease, however, there is still no cure or treatment that reduces the progression of PD, making the search for new treatment methods and drug candidates that promote such effects imperative. The gold standard medication for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, levodopa, brings with it some problems with prolonged use, such as levodopa-induced dyskinesia, which is often worse than the disease itself. In this context, Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant, has shown promise, as there are several studies demonstrating its potential neuroprotective effect in different neurological diseases and also a possible indication for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Swiss mice were treated for 21 days with rotenone and two hours later cannabidiol was administered, and at the end of the treatment motor tests (open field and rotarod) were performed for biochemical analyses of the content of dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites by HPLC, in addition to the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase by Western Blotting. From the results obtained, there was no statistical difference in the results found in the open field test, however there was a significant difference in the latency to fall from the rotarod test apparatus, however, this difference was not found with the biochemical parameters both by Western Blotting and by HPLC. The data found in this work suggest a behavioral alteration that was not reflected in biochemical alterations and new experiments should be carried out with other doses of both rotenone and CBD.
