Ellagic acid mitigates rotenone‐induced damage via modulating mitochondria function in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Constant, systematic exposure to rotenone has been utilized in animal models to induce Parkinsonism. Ellagic acid is a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties which is found in numerous natural fruits. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of ellagic acid in rotenone-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster evaluating their antioxidant and mitoprotective properties.Adult flies were treated with rotenone and ellagic acid through their diet for 7 days, thereafter markers of neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, tyrosine hydroxylase), antioxidant and oxidative stress markers (hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl contents, catalase, total thiol, and nonprotein thiol) was measured. Mitochondrial respiration was also evaluated in the flies. Survival assay was carried out with both genders of the flies, and we observed a significant increase in the survival rate of flies exposed to both rotenone and ellagic acid when compared with the increased mortality rate in the groups exposed to rotenone alone. The impaired locomotion, altered redox status, and enzymes of neurotoxicity induced by rotenone were significantly ameliorated by ellagic acid to levels comparable to the control. In addition, rotenone-induced complex 1 inhibition and altered bioenergetic state were restored upon ellagic acid supplementation.These findings show the beneficial properties of ellagic acid against pesticides induced toxicity.

Exposure to the Natural Compound Climacostol Induces Cell Damage and Oxidative Stress in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster

“…In parallel with traditional vertebrate systems, the use of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster for exploring pathophysiological alterations increased in the last years together with its potential use in drug discovery, including the research on bioactive natural compounds [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Biological settings are very well conserved in Drosophila and homologs of ca.…”