Effects of berberine on cholinesterases and monoamine oxidase activities, and antioxidant status in the brain of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Several studies had been conducted to examine the link between diabetes and diabetes encephalopathy. This study was conducted to examine the potency of berberine (BER) on the restoration of impaired neurochemicals in the brain of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Methods Fifty-six (56) adult rats weighing between 200 and 230 g were randomly divided into seven groups (n=8) as follows; Group I is normal control; Groups II and III were normal rats treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg respectively; Group IV–VII were STZ-induced rats, but Groups V–VII were treated with acarbose (25 mg/kg), 50 and 100 mg/kg of BER, respectively. Results The result of the study showed that untreated STZ-induced diabetic rats have increased acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities, and malonylaldehyde (MDA) level, with concomitant decrease of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, and glutathione (GSH) level. However, daily treatment with 50 and 100 mg/kg BER and ACA significantly reversed these effects. Conclusions The findings of this study clearly indicated that BER possesses neuro-protective and antioxidative potentials and normalize neurochemical impairment distort by diabetes.