Combined Oral Supplementation of Fish Oil and Quercetin Enhances Neuroprotection in a Chronic Rotenone Rat Model: Relevance to Parkinson’s Disease.

While the neuromodulatory efficacy of n-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids present in fish and fish oil (FO)
are well known, some evidence in animal models suggests
that chronic consumption of FO supplements may predispose
the brain to lipid peroxidation. In view of this, recent
approaches envisage the use of dietary antioxidants as
adjuncts with FO to obtain a better clinical outcome in
neurological disorders. In furtherance of our previous
work, in the present study, we examined whether enrichment
of FO with quercetin (Q) would enhance the neuroprotective
outcome employing a chronic rotenone (ROT)
model of neurotoxicity in rats. Growing male rats supplemented
either with FO (2 mL/kg bw) or Q (25 mg/kg bw)
or FO ? Q for 28 days were administered with ROT
(0.5 mg/kg bw, 21 days). Monitoring the behavioral phenotype
by a battery of tests, terminally, oxidative response
in brain regions, mitochondrial dysfunctions and striatal
dopamine levels were determined. While both FO and Q
offered varying degree of protection, the FO ? Q combination
offered a higher degree of protection. FO ? Q
combination significantly attenuated behavioral impairments,
restored the ROT-induced oxidative markers, depleted
dopamine levels in striatum and reduced
mitochondrial dysfunction. These salient findings besides
corroborating with our previous data suggest that enrichment
of FO with Q indeed offers a higher degree of neuroprotection
under chronic exposure to a model neurotoxin
such as ROT. Hence, we propose that a combination of FO
with known antioxidants such as quercetin is more likely to
provide a superior therapeutic advantage in the prevention/
treatment of oxidative stress-mediated neurodegenerative
conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.