ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2019;36(1):38-47

Original article

UDC: 615.284:636.028

DOI: 10.2478/afmnai-2019-0004

Ivermectin Protects Against Monosodium Glutamate-Induced Excitotoxicity in the Rat

Rotimi O. Arise¹, Abimbola K. Arise², Oluwole I. Oyewole³, Sylvia O. Malomo¹

¹Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
²Department of Home Economics and Food Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
³Biochemistry Unit, Department of Chemical Sciences, Osun State University Osogbo, Nigeria

summary


Monosodium glutamate (MSG), an established excitotoxic food additive, has been found to induce oxidative stress in all tissues. To examine the protective effects of ivermectin on MSG-induced excitotoxicity, 28 male albino rats were randomized into four groups. Group 1, the control, received 1 ml of oral distilled water, group 2 was administered an aqueous solution of MSG (4 mg/kg body weight/day). Group 3 was co-administered with the same dose of MSG and 0.4 mg/kg body weight of ivermectin, while group 4 rats received orally the same dose of MSG for 2 weeks, after which ivermectin was administered orally for one week. Administration of MSG orally for 21 days and for 14 days, followed by oral administration of ivermectin for 7 days, significantly increased (p < 0.05) glutathione-S-transferase, nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities as well as malondialdehyde and intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations while Na⁺ - K⁺ - ATPase, Ca²⁺ - Mg²⁺ - ATPase, acid phos-phatase and alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) compared to the control. However, co-administration of MSG and ivermectin for 21 days did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05) in all the parameters studied compared to the control. This result suggests that ivermectin may protect against MSG-induced excitotoxicity in rats.

Key words: monosodium glutamate, ivermectin, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, glutamate channels