Neuroprotective effects of Oxalis erythrorhiza in diabetes mellitus

Abstract

In the last decades, the exploration of phytomedicine became an important issue to find new therapeutic treatments. In the Cuyo region (Argentine), Oxalis erythrorhiza Gillies ex Hooker et Arnott (Oxalidaceae; Oe) is popularly consumed as a “medicinal plant” for hepatic and heart complains even when these effects lack scientific support. Recently, chemical characterization of aereal parts of Oe revealed the presence of compounds with potential antidiabetogenic properties. Otherwise, the diabetes mellitus represents an important health concern, as involved chronic hyperglycemia, oxidative stress state and neurodegenerative changes. Previously, we showed that Oe decoction improves the increase in neurofilaments (NF200) observed in the hypothalamus of rats with experimental diabetes. In this work, adult male rats, controls (C, i.p. veh) or diabetics (D, i.p. STZ 30mg/Kg) drunk Oe decoctions at 5 % (COe5/DOe5), 10 % (COe10/DOe10), or water (CW/DW) by 4 weeks. nNOS and NF200 expressions levels were studied by WB in hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Compared to CW, DW presented raises in nNOS and NF200 expressions in hippocampus (32.50 and 33.50 % respectively; p<0.05) and cerebral cortex (33.50 and 53.50 % respectively; p<0.05). DOe5 presented lower nNOS and NF200 values than DW (14 and 22 % respectively; p<0.05) in the hippocampus, and NF200 in cerebral cortex (28 %; p<0.05). Otherwise, compared to DW, DOe10 reduced the NF200 expression only in the hippocampus (25 %; p<0.05). These results suggest that Oe could have metabolic and neuroprotective effects on these brain areas. Thus, a more extended treatment will be necessary to propose Oe like new source of therapeutic phytocompounds.