Establishing Neuroprotective Insights: In-Vivo Exploration of Quercetin’s Therapeutic Potential in Autism Induced Rats Model

Abstract

To relate the neuroprotective potential of Quercetin within the Autism-Induced neurodegenerative rats model and introduce novel insights of serum Brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF levels. Following the approval of the study, in-vivo experiments were conducted. Twenty-five healthy male rats, seven weeks old, of the Sprague-Dawley strain were selected and to categorize them five groups were formed. Group I was the physiological / non-induced rats where n=5 while other groups of various sizes of n=20 were administrated with intraperitoneal injections of propionic acid (250 mg/kg/day for 5 days). Group II (induced with PPA), Groups III, IV, and V used Quercetin at concentrations of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400mg/kg respectively a regular diet for a total of 24 days. The effect of quercetin was determined in terms of BDNF level by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA. Statistical analysis was conducted where One-way ANOVA (Post hocTurkey test) was used. The levels of BDNF were observed to be back in the quercetin-treated groups (III, IV and V) as compared with group (II)inferring that Quercetin therapy can heal the autism-like symptoms. The levels measured BDNF (ng/ml) were as follows, Group I (13.1 ± 0.3), II (5.1 ±0.2), III (9.8 ±0.3), IV (8.0 ±0.3) and V (10.1 ±0.3). The group induced by the treatment with PPA was PPA+200 mg/kg Quercetin. It also showed the difference between the groups using a one-way ANOVA. To be specific, BDNF levels in GroupsIII, IV and V were higher than in Group II (PPA-induced) as shown by the Posthoc Turkeys test at a significance level of p<0. 05. Quercetin was found to interact with PPA-induced Autism Mouse models proportional to the recovery in serum BNDF levels.