LAUSR

Objectives: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of hesperetin on haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy in Wistar male albino rats. Methods: Haloperidol (1 mg/kg, ip) was administered for 21 successive days to induce orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy. Hesperetin (50 and 100 mg/kg, po) was administered 10 min prior to the injection of haloperidol for 21 successive days. Vacuous chewing movements (VCMs), tongue protrusions, catalepsy, and locomotor activity scores were recorded on 7th, 14th, and 22nd day of drug treatment. After behavioral testing, animals were sacrificed and various biochemical parameters such as brain levels of dopamine, serotonin, malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione (GSH); and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were estimated. Results: Chronic administration of haloperidol significantly increased VCMs, tongue protrusions, and catalepsy in rats. It also produced hypolocomotion in rats. Hesperetin significantly inhibited haloperidol-induced VCMs, tongue protrusions, and catalepsy. Haloperidol significantly increased brain levels of malondialdehyde, decreased brain GSH, SOD, and catalase activities; and also decreased brain dopamine and serotonin levels. Hesperetin significantly reversed haloperidol-induced increase in brain oxidative stress and decrease in brain dopamine and serotonin levels. Discussion: Hesperetin significantly ameliorated haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy possibly through alleviation of oxidative stress and increase in brain dopamine and serotonin levels. Thus, hesperetin may be explored further as a possible therapeutic agent for clinical management of neuroleptic drug-induced tardive dyskinesia.