Effect of Maharishi Amrit Kalash on Age Dependent Variations in Mitochondrial Antioxidant Enzymes, Lipid Peroxidation and Mitochondrial Population in Different Regions of the Central Nervous System of Guinea-pigs

Age related changes in the mitochondria of different regions of the CNS of two age groups of guinea-pigs (10 months and 32 months) were studied. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRd) decreased significantly (p <0.05) with age in the mitochondrial fractions of cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, cerebellum and spinal cord. A significant (p <0.05) age related decrease in mitochondrial numerical density was observed in all regions studied. Electron microscopic observations revealed various degenerative changes in the mitochondria with age. Treatment of the animals with the Ayurvedic herbal mixture "Maharishi Amrit Kalash" (MAK), 500 mg/kg body wt. daily for 2 months, significantly induced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and also reversed the pathological changes to a considerable extent. MAK increased the activity of GPx significantly only in the 32 month-old animals. This shows the specificity of the action of MAK.