HomeDiseaseProtective effects of L-arginine on cognitive deficits and biochemical parameters in an experimental model of type-2 diabetes mellitus induced Alzheimer’s disease in rats

Protective effects of L-arginine on cognitive deficits and biochemical parameters in an experimental model of type-2 diabetes mellitus induced Alzheimer’s disease in rats

August 20, 2022

J Physiol Pharmacol. 2022 Feb;73(1). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2022.1.01. Epub 2022 May 27.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been closely linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance plays a key role in the onset and development of AD. It has also been reported that NO donors play an important role in diabetes and have neuroprotective activity. The present study evaluated the effects NOS substrate, L-arginine and NOS-blocker, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on cognitive functions, brain amyloid β levels and other associated biochemical markers in diabetes (T2DM)-induced AD in rats. T2DM was induced by a combination of high fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg, i.p.). Pretreatment with L-arginine (100 mg/kg/day) improved diabetes related biochemical parameters viz. plasma glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. In addition, L-arginine also improved insulin levels and glucose tolerance. On the other hand, NO synthase inhibitor, L-NAME (10 mg/kg), did not have much influence on these parameters. Further, L-arginine treatment showed ameliorative effects on cognitive deficits seen in the Morris water maze (MWM) test when compared to the vehicle (saline) treated group and similar results were observed in the passive avoidance test. These neurobehavioural changes were associated with predictable modulations in Aβ levels in hippocampus and cortex in HFD + STZ + saline group, which were attenuated in the L-arginine, but not in the L-NAME-treated group. Our results indicate that L-arginine could be a considered a potential therapeutic strategy to attenuate the diabetes induced cognitive deficits in AD.

PMID:35639033 | DOI:10.26402/jpp.2022.1.01

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About The Author

Patrick Blanchard MD

Meet Dr. Blanchard Dr. Blanchard’s medical practice is an embodiment of Integrative health which brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. Conveniently located in sunny Florida and over the internet with ValiseMD’s secure HIPPA compliant telXmed servers. Since 1994, patients with a wide range of challenging medical problems have achieved optimum health using the best of natural medicine, judiciously combined with high-tech innovations. Breakthroughs are often achieved even after patients have consulted mainstream specialists and holistic practitioners. Dr. Blanchard is founder and CEO of ValiseMD, Inc. He is board certified in Family Medicine since 1994 and awarded Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2001. He received the ‘Teacher of the Year’ award from the University of Kansas School of Medicine at completion of his residency in Family Medicine. He completed a fellowship at Wake Forest University in the field of vascular neurosonology. He holds a medical patent in the field of Gastroenterology. He holds an unrestricted license to practice medicine and surgery in Florida. He started his medical career as a Emergency Medical Technician, then as a Paramedic and later a Medical Doctor.