"Mice treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) were used to
3 examine the neuroprotective effects of carnosine. Carnosine at 0.5, 1 and 2 g/L was
4 directly added to the drinking water for 4 wk. MPTP treatment significantly depleted
5 striatal glutathione content, reduced the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX),
6 superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, increased malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen
7 species levels, and elevated interleukin-6, nitrite and tumor necrosis factor-production as
8 well as enhanced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity in striatum (P<0.05).
9 The pre-intake of carnosine significantly attenuated MPTP-induced glutathione loss,
10 retained the activity of GPX and SOD, diminished oxidative stress, and lowered
11 inflammatory cytokines and nitrite levels as well as suppressed iNOS activity (P<0.05).
12 MPTP treatment significantly suppressed GPX mRNA expression and enhanced iNOS
13 mRNA expression (P<0.05). Carnosine pre-intake significantly elevated GPX mRNA
14 expression and declined iNOS mRNA expression (P<0.05). Pre-intake of carnosine also
15 significantly improved MPTP-induced dopamine depletion and maintained
16 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid levels (P<0.05). These results
17 suggest that carnosine could provide anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory protection for the
18 striatumagainstthedevelopmentofParkinson’sdisease."
