Nigella sativa oil ingestion mitigates aluminum chloride (alcl3) induced cerebellar oxidative, neurogenic damages and impaired motor functions in Wistar rats
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Association of Anatomical Societies of Africa
Abstract
Varying neurological effects, and impairments to motor functions, neurochemistry and
neuromorphology have been associated with Aluminium chloride (AlCl3) induced neurotoxicity.
This study aims to investigate the efficacy of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) in AlCl3 induced cerebellar
toxicity in rats. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups and
received: normal saline; 100 mg/kg.bw of AlCl3; 100 mg/kg.bw AlCl3 and 1 ml/kg.bw of NSO;
and 1 ml/kg.bw, orally and daily for fourteen days. On the 13th day of the experiment, the rats
were each exposed to a single trial of the Open Field Test (OFT), of which line crossing
frequency, rearing frequency, and freezing period were recorded as measures of exploratory
and locomotive behaviours of the animals. By day 15, the rats were euthanized, their brains
were excised, the cerebellum dissected from five brains of each group, and homogenized for
biochemical evaluations of nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and total reactive oxygen species (ROS)
levels. The remaining three brains in each group were processed for histology and Ki67
immunohistochemistry investigations. The results of this study shows that AlCl3 impaired motor
related behaviours in the AlCl3 exposed animals, by significantly reducing the line crossing and
rearing frequencies, and increasing the freezing period. This effect was observed to be
mitigated in the animal group that received NSO following AlCl3 administration, as the animals
showed improved motor behaviours. AlCl3 also caused an increase in the cerebellar activities of
NO and ROS, while it depleted Ki67 expressions and caused neurodegenerative-like effects in
the cerebellar histoarchitecture of the exposed animals. Intervention with NSO depleted
ROS/NO levels and protected the cerebellum from the nitrosative and oxidative stress induced
by AlCl3. NSO was also observed to preserve the cerebellar cortex histoarchitecture and
neurogenic morphology against the neurodegenerative effect of AlCl3. It can be concluded that
NSO, with its high efficacy against oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, is a potent natural
therapeutic agent in aluminum and heavy metal neurotoxicity.
Description
Keywords
Aluminum chloride, Nigella sativa, Oxidative stress, Cerebellum, motor functions
Citation
Imam, A., Sulaimon, F. A., Shehu, M., Busari, M., Oyegbola, C., Okesina, A. A., Afodun A. M., Adana, M. Y., & Ajao, M. S. (2022). Nigella sativa oil ingestion mitigates aluminum chloride (alcl3) induced cerebellar oxidative, neurogenic damages and impaired motor functions in Wistar rats. Anatomy Journal of Africa. 11 (1), 2109-2121