Comparing the Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effect of the Aqueous and Ethanolic leaf extracts of Vernonia amygdalina on the cerebellum of mercury chloride intoxicated adult male Wistar rats.

Aguwa U.S; Anibeze C.P; Ndukwe G.U; Olu S.I; Ovie F.O; Ukoba O.

Volume : VII, Issue : IX, September - 2018

Comparing the Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effect of the Aqueous and Ethanolic leaf extracts of Vernonia amygdalina on the cerebellum of mercury chloride intoxicated adult male Wistar rats.

Aguwa U. S, Anibeze C. P, Ndukwe G. U, Olu S. I, Ovie F. O, Ukoba O.

Abstract :

This study compared the neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) (bitter leaf) on the cerebellum of mercury chloride intoxicated adult male Wistar rats. Forty two rats used in this study were divided into six groups of seven animals each. All the animals were given water and feed ad libitum. Group A served as the negative control and had food and water only.Group B served as positive control and were given 0.5mg/kg/bw of mercury chloride for 14 days. All the experimental groups also received 0.5mg/kg/bw of mercury chloride for 14 days. All mercury chloride administration was via intraperitoneal route. Groups C1 and D1received aqueous extract of the leaf of VAat 200mgkkg/bw and 400mg/kg/bw respectively for 14 days, while C2and D2 were given ethanolic extract of VA at 200mg/kg/bw and 400mg/kg/bw respectively. All bitter leaf administration was done orally. At the end of 2 weeksthe rat were subjected to the hanging wire neurobehavioural test, after which they were sacrificed and their ains harvested; two were fixed in 10% formal saline for histological studies while the remaining five were refrigerated and processed for antioxidant assay. Our result showed increase in MDA levels in the positive control (Group B) compared to the negative control (Group A).Also, there was highly significant reduction in levels of SOD, GSH and CAT in the Group B compared with the control. However following administration of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of VA, there were statistically significant improvements in levels of SOD, CAT and GSH in the experimental groups,although the groups that received the aqueous extracts showed better outcomes than their ethanol extract counterparts. Histological study of the control group shows the normal cerebellar cytoarchitecture. However group C1 to D2 that were given the extracts showed noticeable improvements when compared to the positive control, althoughthe group treated with aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina produced better outcomes than the group treated with the ethanolic extract.We therefore conclude that the leaf extracts of VA can confer some protection (in a dose dependent manner) against the effects of mercury chloride toxicity on the cerebellum of Wistar ratsand that the aqueous extract produces better neuroprotective and antioxidant outcomes than theethanolic extract.