Astaxanthin protects against kainic acid-induced seizures and pathological consequences

Neurochemistry International
Yi ChangSu Jane Wang

Abstract

Excitotoxic damage caused by increased glutamate levels is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Astaxanthin, a natural carotenoid with multiple health benefits, inhibits glutamate release from the brain tissue; however, whether it possesses the ability to affect glutamate-induced brain injury is unknown. The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of astaxanthin on kainic acid (KA)-induced excitotoxicity in rats and the possible underlying intracellular signaling pathway. The rats were orally administrated with astaxanthin (50 or 100 mg/kg) for 7 days (once a day), and KA (15 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally at 1 h after the final administration. The results revealed that KA induced seizures, increased the hippocampal glutamate levels, caused considerable neuronal death and microglial activation in the hippocampal CA3 regions, and increased the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Astaxanthin pretreatment prevented these changes. Furthermore, astaxanthin pretreatment increased the expression of neuronal cell survival-related factors, including phosphorylated Akt, phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β, and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus of KA-injected rats. These results suggeste...Continue Reading

Citations

Nov 13, 2020·Frontiers in Neurology·Chen FleischmannMichal Horowitz
Sep 2, 2020·Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association·Seyede Nazanin ZarneshanLuciano Saso
Jun 18, 2021·Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal : SPJ : the Official Publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society·Yussra Ata Yaseen AbdulqaderNisreen Abdullah Rajeh
Sep 21, 2020·European Journal of Pharmacology·Dezaree Raut, Lokesh Kumar Bhatt
Sep 29, 2021·Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition·Yunrui CaoJie Xu

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