Abstract
Objective: To relate the neuroprotective potential of Luteolin within Autism-Induced neurodegenerative rats’ model and introducing novel insights of serum Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels.
Methodology: These in-vivo experiments were conducted in the Laboratory of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro. Twenty-five healthy male rats, seven weeks old, of Sprague-Dawley strain were selected and to categorize them five groups were formed. Group I was the physiological/non-induced rats (n=5) while other groups of various sizes (n=20) were administrated with intraperitoneal injections of propionic acid (250 mg/kg/day for 5 days). Group II (induced with PPA), Groups III, IV, and V used Luteolin at the concentrations of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg, respectively a regular diet for a total of 24 days. The effect of luteolin was determined in terms of BDNF level by means of ELISA. Statistical analysis was conducted where One-way ANOVA and Post hoc Turkey test was used.
Results: The levels of BDNF were observed to be back in the Luteolin treated groups (III, IV and V) as compared with the group (II) inferring that Luteolin therapy can heal the autism like symptoms. The levels of measured BDNF (ng/ml) were as follows, Group I (13.1±0.3), II (5.1 ±0.2), III (9.8±0.3), IV (8.0±0.3) and V (10.1±0.3). The group induced by the treatment with PPA was PPA+200 mg/kg Luteolin. It also showed the differences between the groups using a one-way ANOVA. To be specific, BDNF levels in Groups III, IV and V was higher than in Group II (PPA-induced) as shown by the post-hoc Turkeys test (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Luteolin was found to interact with PPA induced Autism Mouse models proportional to the recovery in serum BNDF levels.

Key words: Luteolin, BDNF, propionic acid, PPA, neurodegeneration, autism.