Neuroprotective effects of pretreatment with quercetin as assessed by acetylcholinesterase assay and behavioral testing in poloxamer-407 induced hyperlipidemic rats

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy Vol. 88; pp. 1054 - 1063
• Main Authors: Braun, Josiane B.S, Ruchel, Jader B, Adefegha, Stephen A, Coelho, Ana Paula V, Trelles, Kelly B, Signor, Cristiane, Rubin, Maribel A, Oliveira, Juliana S, Dornelles, Guilherme L, de Andrade, Cinthia M, Castilhos, Lívia G, Leal, Daniela B.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Masson SAS 01.04.2017
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Behavioral testing; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Cholesterol; Flavonoid; Hyperlipidemias - blood; Hyperlipidemias - drug therapy; Internal Medicine; Lipids - blood; Male; Maze Learning - drug effects; Medical Education; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Poloxamer; Quercetin - pharmacology; Quercetin - therapeutic use; Rats, Wistar; Simvastatin - pharmacology; Behavioral testing; Acetylcholinesterase; Flavonoid; Cholesterol
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.01.134

Abstract Hyperlipidemia is a group of disorders characterized by excessive lipids in the bloodstream. It is associated with the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and recognized as the most important factor underlying the occurrence of atherosclerosis. This study was conducted to investigate whether pretreatment with quercetin can protect against possible memory impairment and deterioration of the cholinergic system in hyperlipidemic rats. Animals were divided into ten groups (n = 7): saline/control, saline/quercetin 5 mg/kg, saline/quercetin 25 mg/kg, saline/quercetin 50 mg/kg, saline/simvastatin (0.04 mg/kg), hyperlipidemia, hyperlipidemia/quercetin 5 mg/kg, hyperlipidemia/quercetin 25 mg/kg, hyperlipidemia/quercetin 50 mg/kg and hyperlipidemia/simvastatin. The animals were pretreated with quercetin by oral gavage for a period of 30 days and hyperlipidemia was subsequently induced by intraperitoneal administration of a single dose of 500 mg/kg of poloxamer-407. Simvastatin was administered after the induction of hyperlipidemia. The results demonstrated that hyperlipidemic rats had memory impairment compared with the saline control group ( P < 0.001). However, pretreatment with quercetin and simvastatin treatment attenuated the damage caused by hyperlipidemia compared with the hyperlipidemic group ( P < 0.05). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the cerebral hippocampus was significantly ( P < 0.001) reduced in the hyperlipidemic group compared with the control saline group. Pretreatment with quercetin and simvastatin treatment in the hyperlipidemic groups significantly ( P < 0.05) increased AChE activity compared with the hyperlipidemic group. Our results thus suggest that quercetin may prevent memory impairment, alter lipid metabolism, and modulate AChE activity in an experimental model of hyperlipidemia.