Parental exposure of Tadalafil has beneficial effect on reflexive motor behaviors in mice offspring

Abstract

Tadalafil has positive effects on neurodevelopment and antioxidant defense system, but there is no information for its possible role during gestation on reflexive motor behavior in offspring. So current study determined the effect of prenatal exposure to the Tadalafil on reflexive motor behaviors and antioxidant activity in mice offspring and antidepressive behaviors in postpartum dams. Forty pregnant female NMRI mice were allocated into four groups. In control group, mice received water while in Groups 2-4, female mice orally gavage with Tadalafil (0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mg/kg) at gestation day (GD) 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17, respectively. Following delivery, pups were selected and reflexive motor behaviors determined using ambulation, hind-limb foot angle, surface righting, hind-limb strength, grip strength, front-limb suspension, and negative geotaxis tests. Also, serum malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined in offspring. On Day 2 postpartum, antidepressant activity of Tadalafil was determined by open field test (OFT), rotarod, forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST) in dams. Based on the findings, maternal exposure to Tadalafil improved ambulation score, hind-limb suspension score, grip strength, and front-limb suspension in offspring (P < 0.05).Prenatal exposure to Tadalafil decreased surface righting, hind-limb foot angle, and negative geotaxis in offspring (P < 0.05). Tadalafil decreased blood MDA and increased SOD and GPx levels in offspring (P < 0.05). Tadalafil significantly decreased immobility time in FST and TST and increased number of squares crossed in OFT and spending time on rotarod on postpartum mice (P < 0.05). These results suggested that parental exposure of Tadalafil has positive effect on reflexive motor and postpartum behaviors.