Abstract
Melatonin (MEL) and Seleniun (Se) are identified as potential antioxidants that can detoxify different Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in neurological diseases. The relationship between Se and MEL in detoxification remains unclear. The present study explores whether selenium and melatonin protects against experimental Alzheimer (AD) (aluminum chloride)-induced brain, and blood oxidative stress, and cytokine production in rats. Memory impairment was induced by aluminum chloride AlCl3 (100 mg/kg) for 42 days through oral gavages. To study the activity of MEL and Se 10 mg/kg (composed of 9.9 mg/kg melatonin and 0.1 mg/kg selenium (sodium selenite)), it was administered to Wistar rats for 49 days in addition to aluminum chloride. With the help of Morris water maze and passive avoidance test, learning and memory impairment were measured whereas the biochemical parameters of oxidative stress were measured in brain post treatment. The prominent finding of this study is that the oxidative stress is enhanced by AlCl3. A significant improvement was shown by Selenium and Melatonin in terms of reduction in the oxidative stress through the reduction of AST, ALT, MDA level and further it counteracted the AChE activity. MEL-Se significantly lowered, an increase in TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 levels and increasing SOD, GSH, CAT, GSSG-R and Na+ - k+ ATPase activity. The present study clearly demonstrated the beneficial effects of selenium and melatonin through regulation of the antioxidant level and cytokine production, and this may act as a key to treat Alzheimer's disease.