L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental complaint known as cognitive impairment. There has been evidence that inflammation and oxidative stress play a main role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the effects of l-carnitine, as a potent antioxidant, on the treatment of behavi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mehrasa Ebrahimi, Nematollah Ahangar, Ehsan Zamani, Fatemeh Shaki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Journal of Toxicology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/9093231
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850159986774114304
author Mehrasa Ebrahimi
Nematollah Ahangar
Ehsan Zamani
Fatemeh Shaki
author_facet Mehrasa Ebrahimi
Nematollah Ahangar
Ehsan Zamani
Fatemeh Shaki
author_sort Mehrasa Ebrahimi
collection DOAJ
description Schizophrenia is a chronic mental complaint known as cognitive impairment. There has been evidence that inflammation and oxidative stress play a main role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the effects of l-carnitine, as a potent antioxidant, on the treatment of behavioural and biochemical disturbances in mice with ketamine-induced schizophrenia. In this study, schizophrenia was induced in mice by ketamine (25 mg/kg/day, i.p). Before induction of schizophrenia, mice were treated with l-carnitine (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day, i.p). Then, behavioural impairments were evaluated by open field (OF) assessment and social interaction test (SIT). After brain tissue isolation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione concentration (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyl oxidation, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx) were assessed as oxidative stress markers. Furthermore, inflammatory biomarkers such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) were evaluated in brain tissue. Our results showed ketamine increased inflammation and oxidative damage in brain tissue that was similar to behaviour disorders in mice. Interestingly, l-carnitine significantly decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers compared with ketamine-treated mice. In addition, l-carnitine prevented and reversed ketamine-induced alterations in the activities of SOD and GPx enzymes in mice’s brains. Also, improved performance in OFT (locomotor activity test) and SIT was observed in l-carnitine-treated mice. These data provided evidence that, due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of l-carnitine, it has a neuroprotective effect on mice model of schizophrenia.
format Article
id doaj-art-b287958d40074c4ab7a84c6d72cd7c90
institution OA Journals
issn 1687-8205
language English
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Journal of Toxicology
spelling doaj-art-b287958d40074c4ab7a84c6d72cd7c902025-08-20T02:23:18ZengWileyJournal of Toxicology1687-82052023-01-01202310.1155/2023/9093231L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation PathwaysMehrasa Ebrahimi0Nematollah Ahangar1Ehsan Zamani2Fatemeh Shaki3Pharmaceutical Sciences Research CenterDepartment of PharmacologyDepartment of Pharmacology and ToxicologyDepartment of Toxicology and PharmacologySchizophrenia is a chronic mental complaint known as cognitive impairment. There has been evidence that inflammation and oxidative stress play a main role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the effects of l-carnitine, as a potent antioxidant, on the treatment of behavioural and biochemical disturbances in mice with ketamine-induced schizophrenia. In this study, schizophrenia was induced in mice by ketamine (25 mg/kg/day, i.p). Before induction of schizophrenia, mice were treated with l-carnitine (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day, i.p). Then, behavioural impairments were evaluated by open field (OF) assessment and social interaction test (SIT). After brain tissue isolation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione concentration (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyl oxidation, superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx) were assessed as oxidative stress markers. Furthermore, inflammatory biomarkers such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) were evaluated in brain tissue. Our results showed ketamine increased inflammation and oxidative damage in brain tissue that was similar to behaviour disorders in mice. Interestingly, l-carnitine significantly decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers compared with ketamine-treated mice. In addition, l-carnitine prevented and reversed ketamine-induced alterations in the activities of SOD and GPx enzymes in mice’s brains. Also, improved performance in OFT (locomotor activity test) and SIT was observed in l-carnitine-treated mice. These data provided evidence that, due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of l-carnitine, it has a neuroprotective effect on mice model of schizophrenia.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/9093231
spellingShingle Mehrasa Ebrahimi
Nematollah Ahangar
Ehsan Zamani
Fatemeh Shaki
L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways
Journal of Toxicology
title L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways
title_full L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways
title_fullStr L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways
title_full_unstemmed L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways
title_short L-Carnitine Prevents Behavioural Alterations in Ketamine-Induced Schizophrenia in Mice: Possible Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Pathways
title_sort l carnitine prevents behavioural alterations in ketamine induced schizophrenia in mice possible involvement of oxidative stress and inflammation pathways
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/9093231
work_keys_str_mv AT mehrasaebrahimi lcarnitinepreventsbehaviouralalterationsinketamineinducedschizophreniainmicepossibleinvolvementofoxidativestressandinflammationpathways
AT nematollahahangar lcarnitinepreventsbehaviouralalterationsinketamineinducedschizophreniainmicepossibleinvolvementofoxidativestressandinflammationpathways
AT ehsanzamani lcarnitinepreventsbehaviouralalterationsinketamineinducedschizophreniainmicepossibleinvolvementofoxidativestressandinflammationpathways
AT fatemehshaki lcarnitinepreventsbehaviouralalterationsinketamineinducedschizophreniainmicepossibleinvolvementofoxidativestressandinflammationpathways