Аннотация:Introduction: Parkinsonian syndrome (PS) is one of the most wide-spread aging diseases. It is considered to be the result of nigral dopaminergic neurons loss and damage leading to the reduction of dopamine (DA) level in striatum. Plant biological response modifiers ("adaptogenes") were shown to possess antiaging action. Their antioxidant, immunomodifying, antineoplastic, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic activities were found. It was also demonstrated that lipid peroxidation (LPO) intensification contributes to nigral cell damage in PS [1]. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a phytomixture (Phytomix-40, consisting of 40 plant water-ethanol extracts, including Rhodiola r. L.; Eleutherococcus s.; etc.) [2] on the degree of PS symptoms, level of DA, its methabolites and LPO products in the striatum of C57BL/6 mice.Methods: PS was induced by systemic administration of neurotoxin l-methyl-4-phenyl-l,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 20mg/kg, daily, i.p., every 12 h, during 10 days) in old C57BL/6 mice. The development of PS was estimated by muscle rigidity and motor activity, which was measured in automated test system Opto-Varimex-3 (Columbus Instruments, USA). Phytomix-40 was administered to mice per os with drinking water in 2%- or 10%-concentrations 5 days before and 10 days following the beginning of MPTP injection. Using HPLC/ED we analyzed DA, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanilic acid (HVA) in mice striatum ex vivo on day 11 after the beginning of MPTP injection. The level of LPO products, malon dialdehyde (MDA), in the mice striatum was measured by the spectrofluorimetric method.Results: The decrease of motor activity in MPTP-treated mice started from day 5. The maximal decrease in the motor activity (up to 7-8% of control mice) was observed on day 10. The administration of Phytomix-40 resulted in an increase of animal motor and other forms of locomotor activity and reduced rigidity on day 5 and day 10. The treatment with 2% Phytomix-40 elevated mice motor activity only on day 5 after the beginning of MPTP injection. MPTP administration caused essential reduction of DA, HVA and DOPAC levels in the mice striatum. Chronic administration of PhM-40 in parkinsonian mice prevented the formation of LPO products and increased the striatal levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA by 46%, by 4.1 times and by 2.3 times, respectively.Conclusion: The results demonstrate that long-term administration of Phytomix-40 with drinking water to PS mice prevents the formation of parkinsonian symptoms, partially restores DA and its metabolites deficits and blocks LPO products in the striatum. It is suggested that Phytomix-40 possesses neuroprotective properties contributing to its antiparkinsonian effect.