D-082
Aloysia citriodora extract attenuates motor and non-motor impairment in a progressive model of Parkinson´s Disease induced by reserpine
Analía Rojas1, Mariana Cabrera1, Fernando Duarte1, Geison Izidio2, Ronaldo Dos Santos3, Ana Velázquez1, Derlis Ibarrola1
  1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
  2. Behavioral Genetics Laboratory, Department of Cellular Biology, Embryology, and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
  3. Behavioral and Evolutionary Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Federal University of Sergipe, Itabaiana, Brazil
Presenting Author:
Analia Rojas Caballero
amnrojas@gmail.com
Motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) lead to progressive disability. Current therapies often failed to halt this disease progression. This underscores the promise of phytotherapeutic approaches. Aloysia citriodora, traditionally used in Paraguay for its sedative and anxiolytic properties, has shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical studies, suggesting its potential for neuroprotection. This study aimed to assess the effect of A. citriodora extract (EAc) in a reserpine (RES)-induced model of PD. Male mice received 20 s.c. injections of 0.1 mg/kg RES or vehicle, every other day, alongside daily oral administration of EAc (30, 150, or 300 mg/kg). Catalepsy test was performed every other day, and assessment of vacuous chewing movements (VOM) every 10 d. To investigate non-motor symptoms, short-term memory was assessed using the novel object recognition (NOR) test. Our results show that, even at low doses, EAc attenuates catalepsy progression. Interestingly, a reduction in VOM was observed (by d 30) with 30 mg/Kg of EAc, while all doses produced comparable effects at d 40. In addition, 150 mg/kg of EAc prevented cognitive impairment in NOR. Taken together, our results suggest that EAc shows a neuroprotective effect, attenuating catalepsy, orofacial dyskinesia, and cognitive impairments induced by RES. This study highlights the potential use of A. citriodora as a promising therapy for the prevention and/or treatment of PD.