The present study has been designed to investigate the protective effect of L-theanine against 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)-induced Huntington's disease (HD)-like symptoms in rats. The present experimental protocol design includes systemic 3-NP acid (10 mg/kg intraperitonially) treatment for 14 d. L-theanine (100 and 200 mg/kg) was given orally, once a day, 1 h before 3-NP acid treatment for 14 d. Body weight and behavioral parameters (Morris water maze, open field test (OFT), forced swim test (FST) and rotarod activity) were assessed on 1st, 5th, 10th and 15th day post-3-NP acid administration. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels and mitochondrial enzyme complex. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were measured on the 15th day in the striatum. Systemic 3-NP acid treatment significantly reduced body weight, locomotor activity and oxidative defense. The mitochondrial enzyme activity was also significantly impaired in the striatum region in 3-NP acid-treated animals. L-theanine (100 and 200 mg/kg b.wt.) treatment significantly attenuated the impairment in behavioral, biochemical and mitochondrial enzyme activities as compared to the 3-NP acid-treated group. The results of the present study suggest that pretreatment with L-theanine significantly attenuated 3-NP induced oxidative stress and restored the decreased SOD, GSH, CAT and SDH activity. It also decreased the neuronal damage as evidenced by histopathological analysis of striatum. Based on the above study, it has been proved that L-theanine has neuroprotective activity against 3-NP induced neurotoxicity.

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