The Protective Effects of Nicotine and Bucladesine on Impaired Avoidance Memory Caused by Sodium Arsenate Toxicity in Mice
Authors:   Department of Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran., Najafi Sheyda , Hashemzaei Mahmoud ,   Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Sadeghi Maryam ,   Students Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Seyed Mousavi Sajedeh ,   Students Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Bazi Ali ,   Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Fanoudi Sahar ,   Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran., Belaran Maryam ,   Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Rezaei Hanieh ,   Students Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Arezoomandan Hamideh ,   Students Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Mirzaei Hadi ,   Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran., Tabrizian Kaveh ,   Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran. ,
Published: May 2021

Background: The toxic effect of sodium arsenate on nervous system has been shown; but the protective effects of several compounds against sodium arsenate are not clear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of nicotine and bucladesine, two positive modulators of neuronal function, on sodium arsenate toxicity against avoidance memory impairment. Methods: Male mice (N=154) were assigned to 22 groups (12 experimental and 10 control) of seven animals each and were treated as follows: sodium arsenate (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg) for 28 days, nicotine (1 mg/kg) for either 1, 2, or 4 days, bucladesine (600 nM/mouse) for either 1, 2, or 4 days, and nicotine (1 mg/kg)+bucladesine (600 nM/mouse)+sodium arsenate (2.5 mg/kg). The last group was treated with 2.5 mg/kg sodium arsenate first, and then received the combination of nicotine and bucladesine for 1, 2, or 4-days. The corresponding control groups did not receive any drug but either saline, deionized water, or combination of deionized water and DMSO, but went through the same procedure as other animals. All mice were trained 24 h in the step-through passive avoidance task. The avoidance memory retention was assessed at 24, 48, 96, and 168 h after the training period by measuring the time they stayed in a dark chamber. Results: All sodium arsenate doses significantly reduced the time stayed in the dark chamber regardless of the treatment duration (24, 48, 96 & 168 h) after training. Both nicotine and bucladesine, whether used singly or combined for 1, 2, and 4 days significantly enhanced the time latency compared to the controls at all of the experimental timepoints following the training. Conclusion: Nicotine and bucladesine showed synergistic effects and reversed the sodium arsenate-induced avoidance memory deficits in mice.