Effects of gypenosides on anxiety disorders in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson׳s disease

• GPS and GP-EX showed anxiolytic effects in MPTP-induced mouse model of PD.
• GPS and GP-EX protected dopaminergic neurons in MPTP-induced mouse model of PD.
• GPS and GP-EX modulated dopamine and serotonin levels of brain in mouse model of PD.
• GPS and GP-EX might be used to develop as adjuvant therapeutic agents for PD.

Ethanol extract (GP-EX) of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP) ameliorates chronic stress-induced anxiety in mice. The present study investigated the effects of gypenoside-enriched components (GPS), GP-EX and water extract of GP (GP-WX) on MPTP lesion-induced affective disorders in C57BL/6 mice. GPS (50 mg/kg) and GP-EX (50 mg/kg) for 21 day-treatment period improved the symptom of anxiety disorders in the MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without l-DOPA treatment, which was examined by the elevated plus-maze and marble burying tests. In these states, treatments with GPS (50 mg/kg) and GP-EX (50 mg/kg) significantly increased the brain levels of dopamine and serotonin in the MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without l-DOPA treatment. In addition, treatments with GPS (50 mg/kg) and GP-EX (50 mg/kg) showed protective effects on dopaminergic neurons in MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without l-DOPA treatment. In contrast, GPS (30 mg/kg) and GP-WX (50 mg/kg) showed anxiolytic effects in the same animal models, but it was not significant. These results suggest that GPS (50 mg/kg) and GP-EX (50 mg/kg) showed anxiolytic effects on affective disorders and protective effects on dopaminergic neurons by modulating the brain levels of dopamine and serotonin in the MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD with or without l-DOPA treatment. Clinical trials of GPS and GP-EX need to be conducted further so as to develop adjuvant therapeutic agents for PD patients.

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