Reversal of Reserpine-Induced Orofacial Dyskinesia And Catalepsy by Sida Cordifolia

Reserpine-induced catalepsy is an animal model used to mimic the behavioural symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in experimental animals. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of Sida cordifolia (AESC and EESC respectively), in reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy along with lipid peroxidation evaluated by the levels of thiobarbituric acid like reactive substances (TBARS) in rat forebrain. Sida cordifolia is a well know Ayurvedic plant which has been administered anciently for nervous disorders such as hemiplegia, facial paralysis and PD. It also possesses significant in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity. Repeated administration of reserpine (1 mg/kg; s.c.) on alternate days (day 1, 3 and 5) for a period of 5 days significantly increased the vacuous chewing movements (VCM), tongue protrusions (TP), orofacial bursts (OB) and catalepsy along with increased forebrain TBARS levels in rats which was dose-dependently reversed by AESC (50, 100 and 250 mg/kg; p.o.) treatment. No significant effect on these behavioural parameters was observed following varying dose (50, 100 and 250 mg/kg; p.o.) treatment of EESC in reserpine treated rats. These findings suggest the involvement of antioxidant activity along with other underlying mechanisms for the ameliorative effect of AESC in reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy. It predicts the scope of AESC in the possible treatment of neuroleptic-induced orofacial dyskinesia and PD.