Up-regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain of albino wistar rats following sub-acute administration of Synclisia scabrida root extract

Objective: Synclisia scabrida is a medicinal plant used over the years for the treatment ofseveral medical conditions yet there is paucity of information on its systemic and organspecific toxicity. Consequently, sub-acute neurotoxicity of root extract of Synclisia scabridawas evaluated in albino Wistar rats. Methods: Thirty male albino rats with average weightof 140g were randomized into 5 groups consisting of 6 rats in each group. Group 1 was thecontrol while 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of the root extract wereadministered to Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively for 28 days. Malondialdehyde,glutathione, nitric oxide, protein, tumour necrosis factor-α, acetylcholine, catalase andacetylcholinesterase levels were measured in brain homogenates. Body weight of theanimals and histology of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were evaluated. Results:Root extract of Synclisia scabrida was observed to increase malondialdehyde concentrationand decrease antioxidants biomarkers when compared with the control. Significantly(p<0.05) increased TNF-α concentration and acetylcholinesterase activity caused by theextract when compared with the control was observed. The concentration of acetylcholinesignificantly decreased in Synclisia scabrida treated groups in comparison with the control.The histomorphology of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex revealed pyknotic pyramidalneurons in Synclisia scabrida treated rat relative to the control with normal pyramidalneurons. The body weight of the extract treated groups were significantly decreased whencompared to the control Group. Conclusion: The study has demonstrated that the rootextract of Synclisia scabrida induces and up-regulates oxidative stress and inflammation inthe brain of male albino Wistar rat coupled with reduced acetylcholine concentration hencethe extract possesses neurotoxic potentials.

Zingiber officinale(Ginger)Methanol Extract Abates Kidney Dysfunction in Mice Co-exposed to Sub-chronic Alcohol Intoxication and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Background:Increasing number of people globally gives in to indiscriminate consumption of excess alcohol as a coping mechanism to relieve any form of physical or psychological stress.Previously,ethnomedicinal use of Zingiber officinale Roscoe(Ginger)have been shown to exhibit broad range of pharmacological benefits but no data has reported the phytotherapeutic treatment of Zingiber officinale methanol extract(MEZO)on alcohol-use disorder(AUD)and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)-induced oxidative and inflammatory stress relevant to disruption of kidney functions in animal model.Objective:To investigate the protective effect of MEZO on kidney-oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers in sub-chronic alcohol exacerbation of PTSD symptoms in mice.Methods:Male Swiss mice were administered 30%ethanol for two weeks and thereafter introduced to single pro-longed stress to induce AUD and PTSD respectively prior to post-treatment with MEZO and vitamin C.Markers of oxidative stress,inflammatory cytokines,kidney functions,HPA-axis signaling molecules,vasodilator substance,and histopathology of the kidney were evaluated.Results:Sub-chronic alcohol intoxication heightened PTSD-induced oxido-inflammatory stress,altered the kidney function indices and HPA-axis,and reduced nitric oxide production,which were ameliorated by the phytother-apeutic treatment with MEZO.Furthermore,severe degeneration and atrophy of renal tubules were observed.Meanwhile,MEZO interventions strongly abated all these effects.Conclusions:Herein,the study shows that phytotherapeutic treatment with MEZO prevents the damaging effects of co-exposure to sub-chronic alcohol intoxication and PTSD.