[Short-term effects of septo-hippocampal pathway transsection and cerebrolysin effects on glutathione-related enzymes in the rat brain].

INTRODUCTION

The cholinergic neurones of the basal forebrain play an important part in cognitive activity and axotomy of these neurones leads to their retrograde atrophy. The nootropic drug, Cerebrolysin, can protect these neurones from neurodegeneration induced by axotomy. Oxidative damage to biomolecules often occurs in neurodegenerative processes.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether transection of the septohippocampal bundle (fimbria-fornix, FF) and administration of Cerebrolysin induce alterations in antioxidant mechanisms.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Four groups of rats were studied: Healthy, treated with physiological saline; healthy treated with Cerebrolysin (2.5 ml/kg daily for one week, intraperitoneally); FF-lesioned and pretreated with physiological saline, and with lesions and pretreated with Cerebrolysin. Twenty four hours after the lesion was produced, the activity of the enzymes glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GRD) and glutathione peroxidase were measured in various cerebral areas.

RESULTS

The lesion caused reduced activity of the three enzymes in the hippocampus, and also in the activity of striatal GRD. Pretreatment with Cerebrolysin did not modify the enzymes in FF-lesioned rats, but did reduce the activity of hippocampal GST in healthy rats.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show the sensitivity of enzyme of the glutathione system to denervation of the hippocampus, together with a modest effect of Cerebrolysin in this experimental paradigm.