Rifampicin protects rats against rotenone-induced dopaminergic neurons damage

AIM:To investigate the protective effect of rifampicin on rotenone-induced apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons and expression of α-synuclein in rats. METHODS:Highly selective lesions and high expression of α-synuclein in nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in rats were induced by chronic subcutaneous exposure to rotenone at dose of 1.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 for 3 weeks. At the same time, rifampicin was administered at dose of 30 mg·kg^-1·d^-1 by intragastric administration for 3 weeks. The changes of behavior, pathology and immunoreactivity of TH and α-synuclein in SNc were observed. RESULTS:Obvious changes of behavior, pathology and TH immunoreactivity in SNc were observed in male SD rats injected subcutaneously with rotenone and rifampicin protected rats against these toxic effects induced by rotenone. CONCLUSION:Rifampicin has extensive protective effects against rotenone-induced neurotoxicity, which is related to inhibiting the expression and aggregation of α-synuclein.