Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative movement disorder, predominantly affecting older people. Despite increasing this global burden, the current therapeutics and medication strategies for the disease are not sufficient, and the treatment cost is unaffordable in many low-income countries. Thus, cost-effective strategies are crucial for the people of low-income territories. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of a freeze-dried aqueous extract of Mucuna gigantea seeds in a rotenone-induced rat model of PD. Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly allocated into six groups: normal, negative, positive, and extract-treated groups (low and high) doses of M. gigantea extract. Parkinsonism was induced using rotenone, and treatment was applied orally from day 22. In this study, motor performance, body weight, food intake, oxidative stress markers, striatal dopamine levels, faecal branched-chain amino acid levels, and histopathological changes in the substantia nigra. Treatment with the freeze-dried aqueous extract of M. gigantea significantly improved locomotor activity, coordination, gait, dopamine levels, antioxidant activity, and histological integrity while reducing oxidative stress and severity of motor deficits compared to the control group. The findings suggest that M. gigantea seed extract showed neuroprotective and anti-Parkinsonian properties, and it could be used as a potential affordable alternative to chemical therapy for PD.

Key words: Parkinson, Rotenone, Mucuna gigantea, Levodopa, Neurodegenerative