The misuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids by athletes and non-athletes causes harmful effects on the central nervous system. In Ayurvedic medicine, Withania somnifera (WS) as an herbal drug has been reported for several functions including adaptogenic, anticonvulsant, cytoprotective and antioxidant. The present study investigated the neuroprotective functions of WS (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) in nandrolone decanoate (ND)-induced (16 mg/kg body weight) brain injury in male Wistar rats. ND was injected intramuscularly twice weekly for 4 weeks. The water emulsion of WS root powder was administered orally once daily for 30 days to ND-treated rats. At the end of the experiment, anxiety-like behaviour was assessed in rats using the elevated plus maze. Haematoxylin-and-eosin-stained coronal sections of the parietal cortex and hippocampus of ND rats showed severe alterations in brain histology compared with control rats. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the striatum and prodynorphin gene expression in the hippocampus was significantly elevated in the ND group compared with the control group. Treating ND induced rats with various doses of WS significantly reversed the brain damage, anxiety behaviour, increased striatal AChE activity and reduced prodynorphin gene expression in the hippocampus. In conclusion, WS extract can be used as a neuroprotective agent to reduce the effects of anabolic steroids.

中文翻译：

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Withania somnifera 通过抑制细胞死亡、强啡肽原 mRNA 表达和乙酰胆碱酯酶活性来改善癸酸诺龙诱导的大鼠脑损伤

运动员和非运动员滥用合成代谢雄激素类固醇会对中枢神经系统造成有害影响。在阿育吠陀医学中，睡茄 (WS) 作为一种草药已被报道具有多种功能，包括适应原、抗惊厥、细胞保护和抗氧化。本研究调查了 WS（100、200 和 400 毫克/千克体重）在癸酸诺龙 (ND) 诱导的雄性 Wistar 大鼠（16 毫克/千克体重）脑损伤中的神经保护功能。ND 每周两次肌肉注射，持续 4 周。将 WS 根粉的水乳剂每天一次口服给药至 ND 治疗的大鼠，持续 30 天。在实验结束时，使用高架十字迷宫评估大鼠的焦虑样行为。与对照大鼠相比，ND 大鼠顶叶皮层和海马的苏木精和伊红染色的冠状切片显示出脑组织学的严重改变。与对照组相比，ND 组纹状体中的乙酰胆碱酯酶 (AChE) 活性和海马中的强啡肽原基因表达显着升高。用不同剂量的 WS 治疗 ND 诱导的大鼠显着逆转了脑损伤、焦虑行为、纹状体 AChE 活性增加和海马中强啡肽原基因表达降低。总之，WS 提取物可用作神经保护剂，以减少合成代谢类固醇的影响。与对照组相比，ND 组纹状体中的乙酰胆碱酯酶 (AChE) 活性和海马中的强啡肽原基因表达显着升高。用不同剂量的 WS 治疗 ND 诱导的大鼠显着逆转了脑损伤、焦虑行为、纹状体 AChE 活性增加和海马中强啡肽原基因表达降低。总之，WS 提取物可用作神经保护剂，以减少合成代谢类固醇的影响。与对照组相比，ND 组纹状体中的乙酰胆碱酯酶 (AChE) 活性和海马中的强啡肽原基因表达显着升高。用不同剂量的 WS 治疗 ND 诱导的大鼠显着逆转了脑损伤、焦虑行为、纹状体 AChE 活性增加和海马中强啡肽原基因表达降低。总之，WS 提取物可用作神经保护剂，以减少合成代谢类固醇的影响。