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Effect of Oral Resveratrol on the BDNF Gene Expression in the Hippocampus of the Rat Brain

Neurochemical Research volume 36, pages 761–765 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Resveratrol is a plant polyphenolic compound. Evidence indicates that resveratrol has beneficial effects against aging and neurodegenerative diseases. The goal of our study was in vivo examination of the effects of resveratrol on the abundance of mRNA encoding Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus of rat brain. Rats were administrated orally by different doses (2.5–20 mg/kg bwt) of resveratrol for 3, 10 and 30 days. Saline was used as control and 10% ethanol in saline was used as vehicle for resveratrol. Measurement of BDNF mRNA by Real-time RT–PCR showed that levels of the mRNA for BDNF were significantly and dose dependently elevated in the hippocampal tissues of rats. The findings suggest that the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol may be at least partly due to its inducing effects on the expression levels of the BDNF mRNA.

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Acknowledgments

This paper has been extracted from the M.Sc. thesis of Mostafa Rahvar and was supported by Grant Number 3492 from Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center—Vice-chancellor for Research Affairs of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. We acknowledge the cooperation of Hematology research center as well as Dr Nader Tanideh from Stem Cell and Transgenic Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz-Iran.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 1167, Shiraz, Iran

    Mostafa Rahvar, Sayed Mohammad Shafiee, Fakhraddin Naghibalhossaini, Mozhgan Rasti & Ali Akbar Owji

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran

    Mohsen Nikseresht

  3. Department of Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Panjehshahin

Authors
  1. Mostafa Rahvar
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  2. Mohsen Nikseresht
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  3. Sayed Mohammad Shafiee
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  4. Fakhraddin Naghibalhossaini
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  5. Mozhgan Rasti
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  6. Mohammad Reza Panjehshahin
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  7. Ali Akbar Owji
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Correspondence to Ali Akbar Owji.

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Rahvar, M., Nikseresht, M., Shafiee, S.M. et al. Effect of Oral Resveratrol on the BDNF Gene Expression in the Hippocampus of the Rat Brain. Neurochem Res 36, 761–765 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-010-0396-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-010-0396-8

Keywords

  • Resveratrol
  • BDNF
  • Hippocampus
  • Rat