Combined Ubisol-Q10 and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Vegh, Caleb; Wear, Darcy; Okaj, Iva; Huggard, Rachel; Culmone, Lauren; Eren, Sezen; Cohen, Jerome; Rishi, Arun K.; Pandey, Siyaram

doi:10.3390/antiox10040563

Open AccessArticle

Combined Ubisol-Q₁₀ and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

by

Caleb Vegh

¹,

Darcy Wear

¹

,

Iva Okaj

¹,

Rachel Huggard

¹,

Lauren Culmone

¹,

Sezen Eren

²,

Jerome Cohen

²,

Arun K. Rishi

^3,4 and

Siyaram Pandey

^1,*

¹

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B3P4, Canada

²

Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B3P4, Canada

³

John D. Dingell VA Medical Center; Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA

⁴

Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Antioxidants 2021, 10(4), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10040563

Submission received: 11 March 2021 / Revised: 25 March 2021 / Accepted: 1 April 2021 / Published: 6 April 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Effects of Coenzyme Q10)

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Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra (SN) region resulting in loss of movement coordination. Current therapies only provide symptomatic relief, and there is no agent to halt the progression of PD. Previously, Ubisol-Q₁₀, a water-soluble formulation of coenzyme-Q_10, and ethanolic root extract of ashwagandha (ASH) have been shown to inhibit PD pathology in rodent models when used alone. Here, we evaluated the neuroprotective efficacy of oral administration of ASH and Ubisol-Q₁₀ alone and in combination in a paraquat-induced PD rat model. The combined treatment resulted in better-preserved neuron morphology compared to Ubsiol-Q₁₀ or ASH alone. The combination treatment enhanced activation of pro-survival astroglia and inhibited pro-inflammatory microglia. While anti-oxidative effects were seen with both agents, Ubisol-Q₁₀ activated autophagy, whereas ashwagandha showed a better anti-inflammatory response. Thus, the combined treatment caused inhibition of oxidative stress, autophagy activation, inhibition of pro-inflammatory microglia, and activation of pro-survival astroglia. Consequently, paraquat (PQ)-treated rats given the combination treatment in drinking water did not show motor impairment. Based on these interesting observations, the combined treatment containing two well-tolerated natural compounds could be a more effective strategy to halt the progression of PD.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; oxidative stress; autophagy; neuroinflammation; paraquat; mitochondrial dysfunction; ashwagandha; Ubisol-Q₁₀

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MDPI and ACS Style

Vegh, C.; Wear, D.; Okaj, I.; Huggard, R.; Culmone, L.; Eren, S.; Cohen, J.; Rishi, A.K.; Pandey, S. Combined Ubisol-Q₁₀ and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Antioxidants 2021, 10, 563. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10040563

AMA Style

Vegh C, Wear D, Okaj I, Huggard R, Culmone L, Eren S, Cohen J, Rishi AK, Pandey S. Combined Ubisol-Q₁₀ and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Antioxidants. 2021; 10(4):563. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10040563

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vegh, Caleb, Darcy Wear, Iva Okaj, Rachel Huggard, Lauren Culmone, Sezen Eren, Jerome Cohen, Arun K. Rishi, and Siyaram Pandey. 2021. "Combined Ubisol-Q₁₀ and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease" Antioxidants 10, no. 4: 563. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10040563

APA Style

Vegh, C., Wear, D., Okaj, I., Huggard, R., Culmone, L., Eren, S., Cohen, J., Rishi, A. K., & Pandey, S. (2021). Combined Ubisol-Q₁₀ and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Antioxidants, 10(4), 563. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10040563

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Combined Ubisol-Q₁₀ and Ashwagandha Root Extract Target Multiple Biochemical Mechanisms and Reduces Neurodegeneration in a Paraquat-Induced Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

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