Ectonucleotidase and acetylcholinesterase activities in synaptosomes from the cerebral cortex of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and treated with resveratrol

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RV), an important neuroprotective compound on NTPDase, 5′-nucleotidase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in cerebral cortex synaptosomes of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The animals were divided into six groups (n = 8): control/saline; control/RV 10 mg/kg; control/RV 20 mg/kg; diabetic/saline; diabetic/RV 10 mg/kg; diabetic/RV 20 mg/kg. After 30 days of treatment with resveratrol the animals were sacrificed and the cerebral cortex was removed for synaptosomes preparation and enzymatic assays. The results demonstrated that NTPDase and 5′-nucleotidase activities were significantly increased in the diabetic/saline group (p < 0.05) compared to control/saline group. Treatment with resveratrol significantly increased NTPDase, 5′-nucleotidase activities in the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups (p < 0.05) compared to diabetic/saline group. When resveratrol was administered per se there was also an increase in the activities of these enzymes in the control/RV10 and control/RV20 groups (p < 0.05) compared to control/saline group. AChE activity was significantly increased in the diabetic/saline group (p < 0.05) compared to control/saline group. The treatment with resveratrol prevented this increase in the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the resveratrol interfere with the purinergic and cholinergic neurotransmission by altering NTPDase, 5′-nucleotidase and AChE activities in cerebral cortex synaptosomes of diabetic rats. In this context, we can suggest that resveratrol should be considered potential therapeutics and scientific tools to be investigated in brain disorders associated with the diabetes.