ABSTRACT One of the most common nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is depression, which affects approximately 35% of patients and may significantly impair their quality of life. Curcumin, a major active compound of turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been found to have several pharmacological properties. It has anti-inflammatory activity, inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO), and has neuroprotective effects. This compound has already been extensively studied in various models of depression and, more recently, it has been studied in PD models. However, little is known about its effects on depression associated with PD. The present study investigated the antidepressant-like effect of curcumin in an animal model of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD. Male Wistar rats received a bilateral intranigral infusion of 6-OHDA, and the sham group received the vehicle. All of the rats were treated for 21 days with 30 mg/kg curcumin orally (p.o.) or vehicle (sunflower oil, p.o.) starting 1 h after surgery. The animals were subjected to the forced swim test and the sucrose preference test. Curcumin exerted an antidepressant-like effect in both tests. Neurochemical analyses were then performed. Curcumin increased the levels of dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that curcumin was able to prevent the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). These findings suggest antidepressant-like and neuroprotective effects of curcumin in the animal model of 6-OHDA-induced PD.
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