Alterations in glutamatergic and GABAergic signaling in ketamine-induced neurotoxicity: mangiferin mitigates neurochemical, oxidative, and astrocytic dysregulation in the rat temporal-frontal cortex.
Behavioral and brain functions : BBF June 28, 2026 Godson Emeka Anyanwu, Victoria Onyemachi Chukwu, Nto Johnson Nto et al.
Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, induces cognitive impairments and neurotransmitter imbalances that resemble schizophrenia. In male Wistar rats, mangiferin—a potent antioxidant—was tested for its ability to reverse these effects. Mangiferin dose-dependently improved spatial learning, working memory, and recognition memory, and normalized locomotor activity. It restored cortical GABA and glutamate levels, reduced dopamine and acetylcholinesterase activity, preserved brain cell structure, and reversed ketamine-induced astrogliosis while increasing Nrf2 expression, indicating activation of antioxidant defenses. Mangiferin shows potential for treating neuropsychiatric conditions involving oxidative stress and glial dysfunction.