Resveratrol protects against a model of vacuous chewing movements induced by reserpine in mice

Reserpine treatment is a putative animal model of orofacial dyskinesia, tremor, and Parkinsonism. Here, we examined the effects of resveratrol, a polyphenol with neuroprotective properties primarily contained in red grapes and red wine, in an animal model of vacuous chewing movements (VCMs) induced by treatment with reserpine. Mice were treated with reserpine (1 mg/kg, subcutaneously on days 1 and 3) and/or resveratrol (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally 3 consecutive days). VCM, locomotor, and exploratory performance were evaluated. Reserpine treatment produced an increase in VCM intensity, which was significantly reduced by resveratrol co-treatment. Reserpine also decreased locomotor and exploratory activity in the open field test. However, resveratrol co-treatment was not able to protect against these effects. The data suggest that resveratrol could be a promising pharmacological tool for studying VCM in rodents. However, further investigations are needed to understand the exact mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol.