The effects of rivastigmine plus selegiline on brain acetylcholinesterase, (Na+, K+)-, Mg2+-ATPase activities, antioxidant status, and learning performance of aged rats

• Published in: Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 687 - 699
• Main Author: Carageorgiou, Haris
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Auckland Taylor & Francis Ltd 01-09-2008; Dove Press; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; aged rat; Animal models; Antioxidants; brain enzymes; Cholinesterase inhibitors; Cognitive ability; learning; Magnesium; Na+/K+-exchanging ATPase; Observational learning; Original Research; Rivastigmine; Rodents; Selegiline; Sodium chloride; Statistical analysis; TAS
• ISSN: 1176-6328; 1176-6328; 1178-2021
• DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S3272

We investigated the effects of rivastigmine (a cholinesterase inhibitor) and selegiline ((-)deprenyl, an irreversible inhibitor of monoamineoxidase-B), alone and in combination, on brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE), (Na+, K+)-, Mg2+-ATPase activities, total antioxidant status (TAS), and learning performance, after long-term drug administration in aged male rats. The possible relationship between the biochemical and behavioral parameters was evaluated. Methods: Aged rats were treated (for 36 days) with rivastigmine (0.3 mg/kg rat/day ip), selegiline (0.25 mg/kg rat/day im), rivastigmine plus selegiline in the same doses and way of administration as separately. Aged and adult control groups received NaCl 0.9% 0.5 ml ip. Results: TAS was lower in aged than in adult rats, rivastigmine alone does not affect TAS, decreases AChE activity, increases (Na+, K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase activity of aged rat brain and improves cognitive performance. Selegiline alone decreases free radical production and increases AChE activity and (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity, improving cognitive performance as well. In the combination: rivastigmine seems to cancel selegiline action on TAS and AChE activity, while it has additive effect on (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity. In the case of Mg2+-ATPase selegiline appears to attenuate rivastigmine activity. No statistically significant difference was observed in the cognitive performance. Conclusion: Reduced TAS, AChE activity and learning performance was observed in old rats. Both rivastigmine and selesiline alone improved performance, although they influenced the biochemical parameters in a different way. The combination of the two drugs did not affect learning performance.