The effects of Gum Arabic, curcumin (Curcuma longa) and Garcinia kola on the rat hippocampus after electromagnetic field exposure: A stereological and histological study

The neuroprotective effects of baobab and black seed on the rat hippocampus exposed to a 900-MHz electromagnetic field

This study investigated the potential effects on the hippocampus of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) disseminated by mobile phones and the roles of baobab (Adansonia digitata) (AD) and black seed (Nigella sativa) (BS) in mitigating these. Fifty-six male, 12-week-old Wistar albino rats were divided into eight groups of seven animals each. No EMF exposure was applied to the control, AD or BS groups, while the rats in the Sham group were placed in an EMF system with no exposure. A 900-MHz EMF was applied to the EMF+AD, EMF+BS, EMF+AD+BS and EMF groups for 1 hour a day for 28 days. Pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus were subsequently counted using the optical fractionator technique, one of the unbiased stereological methods. Tissue sections were also evaluated histopathologically under light and electron microscopy. The activities of the enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also determined in blood serum samples. Analysis of the stereological data revealed no statistically significant differences between the EMF and control or sham groups in terms of pyramidal neuron numbers (p>0.05). However, stereological examination revealed a crucial difference in the entire hippocampus between the control group and the AD (p<0.01) and BS (p<0.05) groups. Moreover, exposure to 900-MHz EMF produced adverse changes in the structures of neurons at histopathological analysis. Qualitative examinations suggest that a combination of herbal products such as AD and BS exerts a protective effect against such EMF side-effects.

The effects of Garcinia kola and curcumin on the dorsal root ganglion of the diabetic rat after peripheral nerve transection injury

OBJECTIVE

To test the protective effects of Garcinia kola and curcumin on the ganglion tissues of diabetic rats following the use of autologous vein graft in peripheral nerve transection injury.

METHODS

The sciatic nerve on the right side was transected, and anastomosis was performed between the proximal and distal ends using an autologous vein graft. Curcumin and Garcinia kola seed extract were administered daily by oral gavage. The ganglion tissues were harvested after a 90-day waiting period. Sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion at the L4 and L5 levels were used for stereological evaluations. Mean sensory neuron numbers were analyzed using a stereological technique. The size of the light and dark neurons was also estimated, and ultrastructural and immunohistochemical evaluations were performed.

RESULTS

A statistically significant difference in sensory neuron numbers was observed between the groups with and without Garcinia kola and curcumin applications. The immunohistochemical results showed that the s-100 protein is expressed selectively between cell types.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study show that curcumin and Garicinia kola prevented sensory neuron loss in diabetic rats following transection injury to the sciatic nerve.

Lipoic acid inhibits cognitive impairment induced by multiple cell phones in young male rats: role of Sirt1 and Atg7 pathway

The utilization of digital technology has grown rapidly in the past three decades. With this rapid increase, cell phones emit electromagnetic radiation; that is why electromagnetic field (EMF) has become a substantial new pollution source in modern civilization, mainly having adverse effects on the brain. While such a topic attracted many researchers' scopes, there are still minimal discoveries made regarding chronic exposure to EMF. The extensive use of cell phones may affect children's cognition even indirectly if parents and guardians used their phones repeatedly near them. This study aims to investigate possible lipoic acid (LA) effects on cognitive functions and hippocampal structure in young male rats exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted from multiple cell phones. Forty young male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into three groups: control, multiple cell phones-exposed and lipoic acid-treated rats. By the end of the experimental period, the Morris water maze was used as a cognitive test. The rats were sacrificed for the collection of serum and hippocampal tissue. These serum samples were then utilized for assessment of Liver function tests. The level ofglutamate, acetylcholine (Ach) and malondialdehyde (MDA) was estimated, in addition to evaluating the expression of autophagy-related protein-7 (Atg7) and Sirt1 genes. The left hippocampal specimens were used for histopathological studies. Results showed that multiple cell phone-exposed rats exhibited shorter latency time to reach the platform by the fifth day of training; additionally, there was a reduction in consolidation of spatial long-term memory. Correspondingly, there was an elevation of hippocampal Ach, glutamate, and MDA levels; accompanied by up-regulation of hippocampal Sirt1 and Atg7 gene expression. Compared to the EMF-exposed group, LA administration improved both learning and memory, this was proved by the significant decline in hippocampal MDA and Ach levels, the higher hippocampal glutamate, the downregulated hippocampal Sirt1 gene expression and the upregulated Atg7 gene expression. In conclusion, EMF exposure could enhance learning ability; however, it interfered with long-term memory consolidation shown by higher hippocampal Ach levels. Lipoic acid treatment improved both learning and memory by enhancing autophagy and hippocampal glutamate level and by the reduced Ach levels and Sirt1 gene expression.

Gum Arabic nanoformulation rescues neuronal lesions in bromobenzene-challenged rats by its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and cytoprotective potentials

Bromobenzene (BB) is a hazardous environmental contaminant because of its multiple routes of exposure and the toxicity of its bio-derivates. It could elicit neuronal alterations by stimulating redox imbalance and apoptotic pathways. Gum Arabic (GA) protected the hippocampus of a type 2 diabetic rat model from cognitive decline. Whether gum Arabic nanoemulsion (GANE) can increase the neuroprotectant potency of GA in fighting BB-associated neurological lesions is the question to be answered. To accomplish this objective, 25 adult male Wistar rats were randomly and equally assigned into five groups. Control received olive oil (vehicle of BB). BB group received BB at a dose of 460 mg/kg BW. Blank nanoemulsion (BNE) group supplemented with BNE at 2 mL of 10% w/v aqueous suspension/kg BW. GANE group received GANE at a dose of 2 mL of 10% w/v aqueous suspension/kg BW. BB + GANE group exposed to BB in concomitant with GANE at the same previous doses. All interventions were carried out daily by oral gavage for ten consecutive days. BB caused a marked increase in malondialdehyde and succinate dehydrogenase together with a marked decrease in reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and lactate dehydrogenase in the brain. BB was accompanied by pathological deteriorations, amyloidosis, and reduced immuno-expression of integrase interactor 1 in the hippocampal region. Administration of GANE was beneficial in reversing the aforementioned abnormalities. These results pave the road for further discovery of nano-formulated natural products to counter the threats of BB.