Neuroprotective potentials of Lycopersicon esculentum fruit extract on cadmium-induced toxicity in postnatal developing cerebellum of rats

Abstract

The neuroprotective potemtials of Lycopersicon esculentum fruit extract on cadmium-induced oxidative stress in postnatal developing cerebellum of rats. Twenty-five pregnant Wistar rats (110-200g) were divided into five groups (n=5) and used for the experiment. Group I served as control and received water, Group II received 0.5mg/kg of Cadmium only, Group III received 50mg/kg aqueous extract of Lycopersicon esculentum only, Group IV received 0.5mg/kg body weight of cadmium+50mg/kg aqueous extract of Lycopersicon esculentum and Group V received 0.5mg/kg of cadmium +200mg/kg of vitamin C, orally from the first day of gestation to postnatal day 21. Lycopersicon esculentum was administered one hour before the administration of cadmium. Neurobehavioural tests was done on the pups of day 21. Then, pups of day 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were weighed, sacrificed and their brains dissected out, weighed with the cerebellum preserved for biochemical and histomorphological evaluations. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p < 0.05. Cadmium-treated rats showed significant decreased in body and brain weight, decreased time spent on the forelimb grip, increased negative geotaxis, increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), and decreased glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the developing cerebellum. Histologically, there was persistent external granular layer (EGL), reduced molecular layer (ML) thickness and increased astrocytes population in the cerebellar cortex of cadmium-treated day 21pups. Lycopersicon esculentum extract and vitamin C reversed the behavioural and morphological alterations induced by cadmium toxicity. Cadmium-induced oxidative stress, behavioural deficit and morphological alterations in the postnatal developing cerebellum of rat was ameliorated by Lycopersicon esculentum fruit extracts as such may be a potential neuroprotective agent.
 Key words: Cadmium - oxidative stress - Lycopersicon esculentum – Neurobehaviour - Developing cerebellar cortex

Cobalt-induced neuro-behavioural alterations are accompanied by profound Purkinje cell and gut-associated responses in rats

“…However, the cerebellum and particularly the Purkinje cells appeared to be more susceptible to the toxic effect of Co. Purkinje cells, typically arranged in a single row of cells between the granular and molecular cell layers, are especially susceptible to toxic stress [ 37 , 38 ]. The chromatolysis and degeneration of purkinje cells seen in Co-exposed rats are in congruence with findings in the brain of goats with history of heavy metal exposure from artisanal mining [ 39 ] and cerebellum of cadmium-exposed rats [ 40 ]. Necrosis, degeneration and chromatolysis of purkinje cells during toxicant exposure has been attributed to the induction of oxidative stress with the purkinje cells often the most sensitive to such stress [ 41 ].…”