Betaine protects cerebellum from oxidative stress following levodopa and benserazide administration in rats

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant and methyl donor effects of betaine in cerebellum following levodopa and benserazide administration in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sprague-Dawley male rats were treated with levodopa (LD), betaine (Bet), levodopa plus betaine (LD/Bet), levodopa plus benserazide (LD/Ben), levodopa plus betaine-benserazide (LD/Bet-Ben), and the controls with vehicle for 10 consecutive days, orally. RESULTS Treatment of rats with LD and benserazide significantly increased total homocysteine in plasma of the LD/Ben group when compared to the other groups. Lipid peroxidation of cerebellum increased significantly in LD-treated rats when compared to the other groups. In contrast, glutathione peroxidase activity and glutathione content in cerebellum were significantly higher in the betaine-treated rats when compared to the LD and LD/Ben groups. Serum dopamine concentration increased significantly in LD-treated rats in comparison with the LD/Ben group. LD/Bet-treated rats also demonstrated significantly higher dopamine levels when compared to the LD/Ben group. CONCLUSION We observed valuable effects of Bet in combination with LD and benserazide, which routinely were used for Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment, in experimentally-induced oxidative stress and hyperhomocysteinemia in rats. Therefore, it seems that Bet is a vital and promising agent regarding PD for future clinical trials in humans.