Anacardic Acids from Cashew Nuts Prevent Behavioral Changes and Oxidative Stress Induced by Rotenone in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Anacardic acids (AAs) are alkyl phenols mainly presenting in cashew nuts. The antioxidant effects of these compounds have been an area of interest in recent research, with findings suggesting potential therapeutic use for certain diseases. Nevertheless, none of these studies were performed in order to test the hypothesis of whether anacardic acids are capable of preventing behavioral changes and oxidative stress induced by the pesticide rotenone in experimental model of Parkinson's disease. In our research, adult male rats were treated orally with AAs (1, 3, 10, 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day) 1 h before rotenone (3 mg/kg; s.c.) for five consecutive days. The behavioral testing strategies, including tests for general locomotor activity (open field), motor coordination (rotarod), and spatial memory performance (elevated T-maze), were carried out. Lipoperoxidation levels and total superoxide dismutase (t-SOD) activity, as well as cytoplasmic and mitochondrial SOD gene expression, were assessed in the substantia nigra (SN), striatum, and cerebral cortex. The results showed that AAs dose-dependently prevented the rotenone-induced learning and motor impairment from 10 mg/kg/day. AAs also precluded rotenone-induced lipoperoxidation in all doses, acting directly on the mitochondria, and improved the t-SOD activity in the doses 25-100 mg/kg/day. AAs per se (100 mg/kg/day) increased SOD gene expression and t-SOD activity. Our findings indicate that the oral administration of AAs prevents rotenone-induced behavioral changes and oxidative stress, in part due to a modulatory action on the mitochondria and SOD gene expression. These data suggest that AAs have promising neuroprotective action against degenerative changes in Parkinson's disease.

Life style and Parkinson’s disease

“…These effects were in part ascribed to a modulatory action on the mitochondria and SOD gene expression. These data suggest that alkyl phenols from nut might have neuroprotective action against degenerative changes in PD (Medeiros-Linard 2018 ). Prospective studies exploring the impact of nuts on the risk of developing PD are lacking, and their effect on disease progression of manifest PD has not yet been examined.…”

Tree Nuts and Peanuts as a Source of Beneficial Compounds and a Threat for Allergic Consumers: Overview on Methods for Their Detection in Complex Food Products

“…This is a very nutritious food due to its content in fats, vitamins, fibers, amino acids, sterols, and minerals [ 117 ]. Moreover, the thin skin of their kernels is rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, such as catechin/epicatechin and anacardic acids, with the latter corresponding to hydroxy-benzoic acids with different alkyl substituents on the phenyl ring [ 118 , 119 ]. In addition to the compounds with high antioxidant power, cashews also contain bioactive compounds like oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, phytosterols, beta carotene, lutein, thiamine, zeaxanthin, arginine, and tocopherols, exerting several beneficial effects for human health [ 120 ].…”

Dietary Regulation of Keap1/Nrf2/ARE Pathway: Focus on Acai Berries and Pistachios and Cashews as Natural Food Sources

“…In vivo studies included different experimental protocols going to investigate various pathologies. Among neurodegenerative diseases, a study has been done on Parkinson's disease: the pathology has been induced by rotenone in male rats, and then they were treated with anacardic acid; analyses have shown that there is a decrease in oxidative stress, specifically there is modulation of mitochondrial respiration and superoxide dismutase [100]. In in vivo study was evaluated two aspects of cashew nuts: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action in different model of inflammatory disease: such as colitis, edema, and pancreatitis.…”