Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Siyaram Pandey
Proposal
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that can be characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. L-DOPA is currently the most common treatment method, however, permanent motor function issues may result from long-term use. Natural health products (NHPs) have been found to possess neuroprotective properties that could potentially target the mechanisms implicated in PD, alleviating symptoms and preventing the disease’s progression while avoiding negative side effects associated with traditional treatments. In previous studies, water-soluble Ubisol-Q10, and Ashwagandha root extract displayed multiple neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. The multi-faceted nature of PD requires a holistic treatment approach, and thus a combinatorial treatment would likely be most effective. For this study, it is hypothesized that using a combination of water-soluble Ashwagandha and Ubisol-Q10 will prevent the progression of PD by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation, stabilizing mitochondrial function, and inducing autophagy mechanisms. Paraquat injections were administered to induce PD in rat models. Brain tissues were preserved and sectioned from 5 different treatment groups. Examination through immunofluorescent staining and microscopic imaging evaluated the degree of oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and activation of neurotrophic growth factors. The results demonstrate that Ubisol-Q10 and Ashwagandha exhibit neuroprotective activity via the hypothesized mechanisms. Additionally, a combinatorial treatment was seen to be most effective at targeting the mechanisms implicated in PD rats. Future experiments will involve quantifying dopaminergic neurons using immunohistochemical staining and stereological analysis. This study provides insight into the potential efficacy of NHPs as a treatment for PD.
Availability
March 29th and 30th
Evaluating the Efficacy of Water-Soluble Ashwagandha and Ubisol-Q10 as Treatment for Mechanisms Implicated in Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that can be characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. L-DOPA is currently the most common treatment method, however, permanent motor function issues may result from long-term use. Natural health products (NHPs) have been found to possess neuroprotective properties that could potentially target the mechanisms implicated in PD, alleviating symptoms and preventing the disease’s progression while avoiding negative side effects associated with traditional treatments. In previous studies, water-soluble Ubisol-Q10, and Ashwagandha root extract displayed multiple neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. The multi-faceted nature of PD requires a holistic treatment approach, and thus a combinatorial treatment would likely be most effective. For this study, it is hypothesized that using a combination of water-soluble Ashwagandha and Ubisol-Q10 will prevent the progression of PD by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation, stabilizing mitochondrial function, and inducing autophagy mechanisms. Paraquat injections were administered to induce PD in rat models. Brain tissues were preserved and sectioned from 5 different treatment groups. Examination through immunofluorescent staining and microscopic imaging evaluated the degree of oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and activation of neurotrophic growth factors. The results demonstrate that Ubisol-Q10 and Ashwagandha exhibit neuroprotective activity via the hypothesized mechanisms. Additionally, a combinatorial treatment was seen to be most effective at targeting the mechanisms implicated in PD rats. Future experiments will involve quantifying dopaminergic neurons using immunohistochemical staining and stereological analysis. This study provides insight into the potential efficacy of NHPs as a treatment for PD.