Exploring the effects of Mucuna pruriens seed powder on Parkinson’s disease management: Insights from Drosophila mutant models

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Plant-based therapeutics form one arm of treatment strategies for PD. The current understanding of their mechanism of action rests on the presence of therapeutically significant levels of Dopamine precursors. However, plant formulations are a cocktail of several chemicals, which can potentially address not just proximal neurological symptoms, but also distal tissues/ organs that regulate brain function. Hence, the effectiveness of Mucuna pruriens (MP) seed powder, also a clinically and commercially available therapeutic agent, was tested. PD mutants of Drosophila melanogaster (vinegar/ fruit fly) were used as a model animal to observe motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The L-Dopa levels in a commercially available MP powder were measured using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and the dosage of feeding flies ad libitum was standardized. Motor symptoms were assessed using high-throughput, high-resolution FlyVRL (Fly vertically rotating arena for locomotion). Upon intervention, there was no improvement in locomotion behavior. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in the lifespan of the park25/+ and moderately in park13/+ mutants. Non-motor symptoms were assessed by measuring TAG (triacylglyceride) and protein concentrations, as well as the gene expression of a transcription factor relish involved in the inflammatory response in flies. There is a significant increase in the TAG levels in mutants when fed on MP seed powder, in terms of gene expression of relish after feeding MP seed powder it is decreasing in park25/+ males. The objective of the study was to provide preclinical evidence regarding the efficiency of MP in managing PD symptoms. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of research focused on developing effective therapeutical strategies for PD and sheds light on the benefits of traditional medicine, such as MP, in managing the symptoms of this neurodegenerative disease.