Beneficial Effects of a Protein Rich Diet on Coping Neurotrans- mitter Levels During Ampicillin-Induced Neurotoxicity Compared to Propionic-Acid Induced Autistic Biochemical Features

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ramesa Shafi Bhat 1 , 2
Kaushal Kishore. Chandrul 2
Afaf El-Ansary 1 , 3
1 Department of Biochemistry, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Shri Venkateshwara University, Gajraula, Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, India
3 Central Laboratory, Female Center for Medical Studies and Scientific Section, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
This study examined the effects of a protein rich diet on coping neurotransmitter levels in orally administered
ampicillin–induced neurotoxic rats compared with propionic acid (PA) models of autism. 40 young male western
albino rats were divided into four groups. The first group served as control and received phosphate buffered
saline orally; the second group serving as autistic model was treated with oral dose of PA (250 mg/kg body
weight/day for 3 days); the third group was treated with the neurotoxic dose of ampicillin (50 mg/kg for three
weeks); the fourth group received the same dose of ampicillin and was fed with special protein rich diets.
Noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin glutamate, glutamine and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured in the brain
homogenate of all tested groups. Specified doses of PA and ampicillin significantly (P<0.001) decreased
noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin levels when compared to control. Also glutamate, IL-6 levels were
significantly (P<0.001) increased in PA treated group while non-significant increase was found in ampicillin
treated group. Non-significant increase of glutamine was found in PA treated group with a significant increase in
ampicillin treated group. The effects of ampicillin on these parameters were found to be potentiated when the
rats were fed on a protein rich diet. Our results end with the conclusion that dietary protein level may be a useful
tool to find out a path to restrict neurotransmitter alterations in neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.
Keywords
Ampicillin
propionic acid
neurotransmitter
brain