1. Neuropharmacology. 2003 Jun;44(8):1100-6.

Quercetin, a bioflavonoid, attenuates haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia.

Naidu PS, Singh A, Kulkarni SK.

Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab
University, -160014, Chandigarh, India.

Chronic treatment with neuroleptics leads to the development of abnormal
orofacial movements described as vacuous chewing movements (VCMs) in rats.
Vacuous chewing movements in rodents are widely accepted as one of the animal
models of tardive dyskinesia. Oxidative stress and the products of lipid
peroxidation are implicated in the pathophysiology of various neurological
disorders including tardive dyskinesia. In the present study chronic haloperidol
(1.0 mg kg(-1) for 21 days) treatment induced vacuous chewing movements and
tongue protrusions in rats. Co-administration of quercetin, a bioflavonoid, dose
dependently (25-100 mg kg(-1)) reduced haloperidol-induced vacuous chewing
movements and tongue protrusions. Biochemical analysis revealed that chronic
haloperidol treatment induces lipid peroxidation and decreases the glutathione
(GSH) levels in the forebrains of rats. The antioxidant defense enzymes,
superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were also decreased due to chronic
haloperidol treatment. Co-administration of quercetin (25-100 mg kg(-1))
significantly reduced the lipid peroxidation and restored the decreased
glutathione levels in these animals. Further quercetin (50-100 mg kg(-1)) also
reversed the haloperidol-induced decrease in forebrain SOD and catalase levels in
rats. The major findings of the present study suggested that oxidative stress
plays a significant role in neuroleptic-induced orofacial dyskinesia and
quercetin co-administration reverses these behavioral and biochemical changes.
Quercetin, a naturally occurring bioflavonoid could prove to be a useful agent in
neuroleptic-induced orofacial dyskinesia.

PMID: 12763102 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]