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Taurine ameliorates neurobehavioral, neurochemical and immunohistochemical changes in sporadic dementia of Alzheimer’s type (SDAT) caused by intracerebroventricular streptozotocin in rats

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Abstract

Oxidative loads in the brain are involved in age related impairments like learning and memory as well as neurodegeneration. Taurine, the most abundant free amino acid in humans has many potential health benefits through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we investigated the neuroprotective potential of taurine on oxidative stress, neuronal loss and memory impairments in streptozotocin model of cognitive impairments in rats. The cognitive impairment was developed by giving single intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) 3 mg/kg body weight bilaterally. An increased latency and path length was observed in ICV-STZ group animals as compared to sham group animals and these were inhibited significantly in STZ group pre-treated with taurine (50 mg/kg body weight orally once daily for 15 days). Moreover, the significantly depleted content of GSH and elevated level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in ICV-STZ group animals were protected significantly with pre-treatment of taurine. The activity of antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase was decreased in STZ group as compared to sham group and pre-treatment of STZ group with taurine has protected their activities significantly. Furthermore, the increased activity of acetylcholine esterase and decreased expression of choline acetyl transferase were attenuated by the pre-treatment of taurine. Taurine also protected the morphology of the hippocampal pyramidal neurons. This study concludes that the prophylactic intervention of taurine may be used to prevent the deterioration of cognitive functions and neurobehavioral activities, often associated with the generation of free radicals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India, for providing funds to carry out this work.

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Author notes

  1. Fakhrul Islam

    Present address: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  2. Mohd. Moshahid Khan

    Present address: Department of Neurology, Medical Research Centre, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA

  3. Ajmal Ahmad

    Present address: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, 110062, India

    Hayate Javed, Andleeb Khan, Kumar Vaibhav, Mohd. Moshahid Khan, Ajmal Ahmad, Md. Ejaz Ahmad, Ashafaq Ahmad, Rizwana Tabassum & Fakhrul Islam

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, 110062, India

    Farah Islam

  3. Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Mohammed M. Safhi

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  1. Hayate Javed
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Correspondence to Fakhrul Islam.

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Fund for the Improvement of Science and Technology sponsored by DST and Special Assistance Programme sponsored by UGC.

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Javed, H., Khan, A., Vaibhav, K. et al. Taurine ameliorates neurobehavioral, neurochemical and immunohistochemical changes in sporadic dementia of Alzheimer’s type (SDAT) caused by intracerebroventricular streptozotocin in rats. Neurol Sci 34, 2181–2192 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1444-3

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