Protective Role of α-Pinene in Cuprizone-Induced Multiple Sclerosis in Mice

It is clamied that α-pinene has properties against Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which is known as demyelination of the neurons. Given that, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of α-pinene on Cuprizone-induced (CPZ) MS.

A total of forty C57BL/6 mice were allocated to 4 groups. Mice in group 1 (control) were treated with a normal diet. In group 2, CPZ-induced demyelination was done by chew palate containing .2% (w/w) CPZ for 5 weeks. In group 3, a normal diet was provided and mice were injected with 𝛼-pinene (1 mg/kg; i.p.) 3 times a week for 5 weeks. In group 4, mice were fed with the CPZ containing diet and injected with 𝛼-pinene (1 mg/kg; i.p.) three times a week for 5 weeks. At the end of the study, reflexive motor behavior and depressive- like behavior tests were performed. Additionally, serum anti-oxidant activity was determined.

Results show that the CPZ had an adverse effect on reflexive motor behavior tests (P<.05) and co-administration of the CPZ+𝛼-pinene diminished the adverse effect of the CPZ on the reflexive motor behavior tests (P<.05). Moreover, CPZ significantly amplified immobility time (P<.05) and co-administration of the CPZ+𝛼-pinene reduced the adverse effect of the CPZ on depressive-like behavior tests (P<.05). CPZ significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant status (TAS) and also these effects were reversed by α-pinene (P<.05). The data indicate that co-administration of the CPZ+𝛼-pinene significantly improved the adverse effect of the CPZ on serum antioxidants (P<.05).