Anti-Parkinson’s activity in mice

Forty-two male mice were divided into 7 groups with 6 animals each (Table ​(Table8).8). Group-I and II served as normal and diseased control respectively and received vehicle (Carboxymethyl cellulose, CMC 0.5%) 10 mg/kg. Group III animals received naïve FMT at a dose of 5 mg/kg p.o. Group IV animals received blank SLNs at a dose of 5 mg/kg p.o. Group V, VI and VII animals received FMT-SLNs-PS80 at a dose of 10, 50 and 100 mg/kg respectively. All the animals received the assigned treatment for a period of 7 days before the exposure to rotenone (Fig. 18).

Animal grouping.

Design of experimental schedule.

PD was induced in mice pre-treated for 7 days with assigned treatments. To induce PD, all groups except Group-I (normal control) received rotenone at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg i.p. one hour after their assigned treatments for a period of 21 days (Fig. 18). The first day of rotenone administration is considered as Day 0 of the study.

Behavioural studies such as locomotor activity, muscle grip strength and memory function test were performed on day 0, 7, 14, and 21 in all the groups (Fig. 18). At the end of the study (day 22), animals were anaesthetised with deep isoflurane anaesthesia, the abdominal was opened and the abdominal artery was punctured to drain the blood. The brain was collected for biochemical analysis and histopathological studies (Fig. 18).

The following behavioural parameters were assessed⁴³.

A digital actophotometer was used to detect locomotor activity in mice. Mice were given for 1 min acclimatisation within the activity box. The number of photo beam interruptions was counted for 5 min to measure the locomotor activity.

The muscular in-coordination was assessed using a rota-rod apparatus. Animals were trained for two consecutive days at a speed of 8 rpm on the 1st day and 10 rpm on the 2nd day and the rotation speed was increased to 15 rpm on the 3rd day. The time for each mouse spent on the rotating bar was recorded and the cut-off time was kept 180 s per trial. Automatic apparatus was used to record the time and the counting was stopped when the mice fell of the rotating shaft. To avoid error, the test was repeated three times and the average data were noted as retention time on the rotating bar.

The effect of FMT-SLNs-PS80 on rotenone induced memory deficits was assessed using the Y-maze¹⁷. Each mouse was placed at the end of one arm and was permitted to explore freely for 5 min in all the three arms. The number of arm visits and sequence (alternation) of arm visits were recorded. The percentage alternation is utilised as a spatial memory index. Consecutive entries into all the three arms (i.e. ABC, CAB or BCA but not BAB) were counted as alternation behaviours⁴⁴.