Lemon grass extract alleviates oxidative stress and delayed the loss of climbing ability in transgenic Drosophila model of Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

\n\nParkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized by the aggregation of α-synuclein, formation of Lewy bodies and the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons of mesencephalic substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) with the debilitating motor symptoms.\n\n\n\nThe available treatment for PD provides symptomatic relief with no control on the progression of the disease. The treatment is also associated with several side effects. As the neurodegeneration in PD is also associated with the oxidative stress, antioxidants from plants could play an important role in reducing the PD symptoms. With this aim we decided to study the effect of Lemon grass extract (LGE) on the transgenic Drosophila model of PD expressing human alpha synuclein in the neurons.\n\n\n\nThe PD flies allowed were allowed to feed on different doses of LGE established in diet for 24 days and then assayed for climbing ability and oxidative stress markers. The molecular docking study was also performed for citral (the component of the extract) and human α-synuclein.\n\n\n\nA dose dependent significant improvement in the climbing ability and reduction in oxidative stress was observed in the PD flies exposed to LGE. In our earlier study on LGE, citral was found to be the main component of the extract by GC-MS analysis. The docking results also support the positive interaction between citral and human α-synuclein.\n\n\n\nThe results suggests that LGE is potemnt in reducing the PD symptoms being mimicked in transgenic Drosophila.\n\n