ABSTRACT
Background: The unprecedented increase in metal exposure has been aided by modern industrialization and anthropogenic activities. Cadmium and mercury are recognized as two of the most common heavy metals with destructive impacts on most organ systems. The present study was designed to investigate and improve existing literature on the possible deleterious effects of cadmium and mercury exposure. Methods: Adult Wistar rats were treated with cadmium chloride (5 mg/kg/day) and mercury chloride (4 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. Body, brain and cerebellar weights, motor deficits, antioxidant and lipid peroxidation activities as well as histological alterations to the cerebellum were evaluated at the end of the experiment. Results: Findings showed a significant reduction in body and brain weights, dysregulation of antioxidant enzymes activity and impaired locomotion and exploratory activity in treated rats. Also, an increase in lipid peroxidation and degeneration of Purkinje cells of the cerebellum was observed in treated rats. Conclusion: Overall, these results corroborate previous findings that cadmium and mercury induce deleterious effects on the cerebellum and central nervous system. In addition, this study helps to provide an anatomical perspective and information on the exact cerebellar changes induced by cadmium and mercury in Wistar rats.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Neurotoxicity Syndromes , Antioxidants , Cadmium , Cerebellar Diseases , Enzymes , LocomotionABSTRACT
Afr. J. Biomed. Res. Vol. 24 (May, 2021); 257- 263 Research Article Protective Effect of Alkaloid-rich Extract of Brimstone Tree (Morinda lucida) on Neurotoxicity in the Fruit-fly (Drosophila melanogaster) Model Nwanna E.E. Functional Food, Nutraceutical and Phytomedicine unit Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology Akure PMB 704, Nigeria ABSTRACT Brimstone plant is one of the medicinal plants found in Nigeria used in fore-lore medicine with little scientific information on its alkaloid constituents. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of alkaloid-rich compounds from the plant in manganese- induced (MgCl2) neurotoxicity in the fruit fly. In addition, alkaloid compounds will be characterized using gas chromatograph coupled with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Alkaloid-rich extract was prepared by solvent extraction method, fruit flies were pre-treated with the extract (0.5 1.0mg/ml) in a fortified diet before induction with MgCl2. The survival rate and negative geotaxis were observed. Thereafter, the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme, antioxidantive potentials in in -vivo reactive oxygen species (ROS) thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), total thiol content, nitric oxide (NO*), hydroxyl oxide (OH*) scavenging ability, ferric reducing antioxidant property (FRAP) and 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6- sulphonic acid) (ABTs*) radical scavenging ability were carried out on the flies' homogenate. Results obtained revealed that the alkaloid-rich extract regulated the neuro-protective activity of AchE, reduced the reactive oxygen species level in the induced flies with an increased in antioxidantive potential, higher survival rate and increases in the life span of the flies with 50% reduction in the mortality rate. The GC-MS showed a total of (1.55/100mg) of different plant-derived alkaloids such as dicentrine, atropine, aporphine. These alkaloids-rich compounds were found to have anti-oxidative, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory and anti- cholinergic activities. In conclusion, this study suggests that alkaloids from brimstone plant could be the reason for the observed biological activities for the prevention of neuronal related complications.