Potential role of arteether on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor expression in experimental cerebral malaria mice and extension of their survival

Sunil Kumar Singh, Hemlata Dwivedi, Sarika Gunjan, Bhavana Singh Chauhan, Swaroop Kumar Pandey, Renu Tripathi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cerebral malaria (CM) is the severe neurological complication causing acute non-traumatic encephalopathy in tropical countries. The mechanisms underlying the fatal cerebral complications are still not fully understood. Glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of the mammalian brain, plays a key role in the development of neuronal cells, motor function, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory processes under normal physiological conditions. The subtypes of ionotropic glutamate receptor are N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) which are involved in cellular mechanisms of learning and memory, synaptic plasticity and also mediate excitotoxic neuronal injury. In the present study, we found that glutamate level in synaptosomes, as well as expression of NMDAR, was elevated during the extreme condition of CM in C57BL6 mice. Arteether at 50 mg kg-1 × 1, 25 mg kg-1 × 2, days decreased the NMDAR expression and increased the overall survival of the experimental CM mice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1571-1577
Number of pages7
JournalParasitology
Volume146
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2019
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Arteether
  • NMDA receptor
  • Plasmodium berghei ANKA
  • cerebral malaria
  • glutamate

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Infectious Diseases

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