The effect of selegiline on total scavenger capacity and liver fat content: a preliminary study in an animal model

Selegiline is a selective irreversible inhibitor of the B-type of monoamine oxidase (MAO-B). The spectrum of its pharmacological activity is wide, possesses antioxidant, antiapoptotic and neuroprotective properties and, additionally, we found it is effective on the total scavenger capacity (TSC), and the regulation of fat content in rat liver kept on lipid-rich diet. Our aim was to clarify whether the oral treatment with selegiline is protective on oxidative damage of Sprague–Dawley adult rats in vivo. Four groups of rats (five animals in a group) were examined: (1) lipid-rich diet, (2) normal rat food, (3) lipid-rich diet + selegiline and (4) normal rat food + selegiline. Selegiline solution (2.5 µg/ml) was supplied with the drinking water, which was freely available for the animals. Regarding the drinking habit of the rats (20–30 ml/day), the daily dose was roughly equal with that used in the human therapy (5–10 mg/day). TSC was determined both at the beginning (0 day) and at the end of the study (28 days), when the blood samples were taken for chemiluminometric assay. Fat content of the liver was determined in the freshly frozen tissue by Sudan staining. TSC was increased in both the selegiline-treated groups. Selegiline treatment prevented the increase of liver fat in the group fed with lipid-rich diet. Our results led us to the conclusion that prolonged selegiline administration can raise the antioxidant capacity of the animals and prevents the accumulation of fat in their livers.