Effects of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs on D-serine-induced oxidative stress in vitro

Inflammation is deleterious for organs with reduced capacity of regeneration, such as the brain. Recently, studies have focused on investigating the therapeutic effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Excitotoxicity is the pathological process when receptors for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, such as the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), receptors are overactivated. This process may be involved in neurodegenerative diseases. D-serine is one of the coagonist of NMDA receptors, and increased levels of D-serine are associated with excitotoxicity. In our study, the potential neuroprotective effects of mefenamic acid, acetaminophen, and naproxen sodium were investigated against D-serine-induced oxidative stress in the rat brain in vitro. To show their potential neuroprotective properties, NSAIDs were incubated with D-serine and reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde, and protein carbonyl content of the brain after different treatments were measured. Our results demostrate that NSAIDs used in the present study significantly reduced ROS production, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation against D-serine treatment.