Restorative Effect of Pioglitazone against MPTP Mediated Behavioural Deficits in Mice Model of Parkinson's Disease

This study was designed to assess the protective effect of pioglitazone against behavioural changes associated with experimentally induced Parkinson’s disease (PD) in mice model. PD was induced in male C57BL6/J mice by injecting five consecutive doses (25mg/kg/day ip) of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) hydrochloride at 24 h interval. The mice were then treated orally with pioglitazone (20mg/kg) once a day for 10 consecutive days after MPTP administration. Behavioural studies like open field, rota rod, hang grid, stride length and olfactory tests were carried out on 8 day of post MPTP injection and on 11 day of post pioglitazone treatment to assess PD associated behavioural deficits and the effect of pioglitazone in improving the behavioral manifestations. Data obtained from different behavioral tests in this study indicated that MPTP treated mice showed persistent behavioral deficits in the balance and motor coordination skills on the challenging rotarod, hanging grid, stride length gait consistency pattern, olfactory function and spontaneous locomotor behaviours in the open field test. Grippingly, chronic post treatments with pioglitazone caused significant improvement in MPTP-induced behavioral deficits and were successfully diminished.