Neuroprotective effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid against neurodegeneration in rat models of Parkinson's disease and stroke

• Published in: Journal of pharmacological sciences Vol. 144; no. 3; pp. 183 - 187
• Main Authors: Hijioka, Masanori, Kitamura, Kanori, Yanagisawa, Daijiro, Nishimura, Kaneyasu, Takata, Kazuyuki, Inden, Masatoshi, Kitamura, Yoshihisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Elsevier B.V 01.11.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: 5-Aminolevulinic acid; Aminolevulinic Acid; Animals; Brain Ischemia - etiology; Brain Ischemia - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Levulinic Acids - pharmacology; Levulinic Acids - therapeutic use; Male; Nerve Degeneration - prevention & control; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Parkinson Disease - etiology; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Rats, Wistar; Stroke - etiology; Stroke - pathology; 5-Aminolevulinic acid; Neuroprotection; Oxidative stress
• ISSN: 1347-8613; 1347-8648
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2020.07.012

Oxidative stress is associated with the progression of the neurodegenerative diseases Parkinson's disease (PD) and cerebral ischemia. Recently, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), an intermediate in the porphyrin synthesis pathway, was reported to exert antioxidative effects on macrophages and cardiomyocytes. Here, we demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of 5-ALA using rat models of PD and ischemia as well as in vitro in SH-SY5Y cells. 5-ALA partially prevented neurodegeneration in each condition. These results suggest that 5-ALA has a potential for promising therapeutic agent to protect against neurodegeneration exacerbated by oxidative stress.