Researcher: Dizon, Regine Grace V. April 16, 2019
Adviser: Aaron Carl V. Tejano
Co-Adviser: Paul Mark B. Medina, PhD
Research Supervisor: Rafael Vincent Manalo, RCh
ABSTRACT
Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative ailment is characterized by muscular contractions and involuntary movement (dyskinesia). Its hallmarks include loss of movement-regulating dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Afflicting more than 6 million worldwide, a cost-efficient PD treatment is desirable. This study aimed to assess the potential of ethanol leaf extract of 2. talanai in DA neuroprotection, locomotion sustainment, and alleviation of L-DOPA’s side-effects. Transgenic UA57 Caenorhabditis elegans induced with dyskinesia by applying 60 mM L-DOPA were exposed to 2 ยตg/mL, 20 pg/mL and 200 ยตg/mL of ELEZT. Nontoxic concentrations of ELEZT were determined through nematode lethality test. ELEZT’s neuroprotective action was evaluated through DA neurons’ fluorescence imaging and observation of locomotion. All ELEZT concentrations exhibited no major lethal effect in the nematodes. In the DA neurodegeneration analysis in nematodes, 20 ยตg/mL BLE exhibited DA neuron protection. Locomotion analysis showed that 20 ยตg/mL BLE improved the short reversals of C. elegans actuated by 60 mM of L-DOPA. Nematodes expressed the highest percentage of long reversals, body bending and omega turns at 2 ยตg/mL BLE at Day 3 (chronic) observation. Results revealed that ELEZT can reduce DA neurodegeneration and protect the nematodes from motor function deficits.
Keywords: neurodegenerative, Ziziphus talanai (Blanco) Merr.. levodopa, dyskinesia, neuroprotective
Dizon, R. G. V. ( 2019). ALLEVIATION OF DOPAMINERGIC NEURODEGENERATION BY ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF BALAKAT TREE (Ziziphus talanai (Blanco Merr.) ON TRANSGENIC Caenorhabditis elegans MODEL OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE, Mabalacat City College, Dolores, Mabalacat City, Pampanga. [Undergraduate thesis, Mabalacat City College].