Mehdi Aliomrani, Azadeh Mesripour, Tannaz Daneshseta,
Volume 16, Issue 2 (5-2022)
Abstract
Background: Diazinon (Dzn), an Organophosphorus (OP) pesticide, is extensively used in agriculture. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition is linked to OP toxicity, and there are major mental health concerns associated with the use of pesticides. The objective of this study was to assess the depressive behavior in an animal model following their exposure to Dzn and the effect on the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a critical neurotropic factor.
Methods: Male Swiss mice (N=42; 25±3g each) were used and their behaviors were eamined on including the locomotor, Forced Swimming (FST), and Sucrose Preference (SP) tests. These tests were performed the day after a single daily Dzn administration by gavage (2.5-20 mg/kg). Specific animal groups were exposed to Dzn daily (2.5-10 mg/kg) for 14 days, and a test was performed on days 7 and 15.
Results: Following the acute exposure to Dzn, the animals’ locomotor activity did not change significantly. During the FST, Dzn at 20 mg/kg significantly increased the animals’ immobility time, indicating despair behavior. Imipramine, injected intraperitoneally at 10 mg/kg, did not cause the depressive behavior. The subacute exposure to Dzn induced less locomotor activity than that of the controls. The 7-day exposure to Dzn at 10 mg/kg significantly prolonged the immobility period compared to that of the controls. The 14-day Dzn exposure at 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg increased the immobility time significantly compared to that of the controls. None of the treatment groups showed SP, clearly showing animal anhedonia. The BDNF levels significantly decreased not only by subacute exposures to Dzn but also following a single exposure to this this pesticide.
Conclusion: The acute and subacute exposure to Dzn induced depressive behavior and increased the BDNF levels in the hippocampus of Swiss male mice following exposure to Dzn at varying doses of 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg.
Aishatu Abubakar Ishaku, Abubakar Muhammad Bello, Dr. Nathan Isaac Dibal, Musa S. Chiroma,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (5-2023)
Abstract
Background: The plant Bombax costatum (BC) has been used traditionally in Nigeria for the management of various ailments. The chloroform extract of BC bark was investigated for its potential effects against the induced seizures and depression in rats.
Methods: Thirty Wistar rats were divided into five groups of six. Group I received normal saline, group II received pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 35 mg/kg), group III received diazepam (5 mg/kg) plus PTZ at 35 mg/kg, group IV received 250 mg/kg of the BC extract, and group V received 500 mg/kg of the same extract. The above protocol was repeated on alternate days from the first to twenty 5th days.
Results: Tukey’s post hoc test revealed a statistically significant increase in the seizure scores after using PTZ (3.38±0.29, P<0.0001), in contrast to a decrease in the seizures after treatment with the BC extract (250 mg/kg; 2.72±0.25, P=0.0001). The analysis of variance for forced swimming test showed a significant decrease in immobility time if treatment with the extract (250 mg/kg; 125±5.59; P=0.01). The immobility duration increased with the PTZ treatment (163.8±12.03). The brain’s dopamine and serotonin levels under PTZ effect significantly decreased to 140.2±15.66 and 26.38±1.16, respectively, when the rats were treated with the extract at 500 mg/kg.
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the BC extract has anticonvulsive and anti-depressive properties, thus it offers neuro-protection against both conditions, induced by PTZ in rats.
