Asiatic acid attenuates aluminium chloride-induced behavioral changes, neuronal loss and astrocyte activation in rats
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Aluminium (Al) is a potent neurotoxic metal known to cause neurodegeneration. Al exposure generates oxidative stress by accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the brain that is followed by the activation of neuronal cell death. Asiatic acid (AA), the major bioactive compound of Centella asiatica (a medicinal plant), act as multifunctional drug as well as an antioxidant. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the potential neuroprotective effects of AA against Al neurotoxicity. Rats were orally administered with 100 mg/kg b. wt. of aluminium chloride (AlCl3) dissolved in distilled water for 8 weeks or AA (75 mg/kg b. wt.) in combination with Al. The results showed that AlCl3-intoxication caused significantly impaired memory, enhanced anxiety-like behavior, increased acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity and higher level of malondialdehydes (MDA) along with concomitantly decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain. In addition, Al exposure caused neuronal loss and enhanced reactive astrogliosis in both regions. However, co-administration of AA with AlCl3 significantly attenuated behavioral alterations, improved AChE, SOD and CAT activities and decreased MDA level. Further, the study demonstrated that AA attenuated neuronal loss and reactive astrogliosis in rat brain. In conclusion, AA could protect rat brain from Al toxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress, neuronal loss and reactive astrogliosis.
Source: Metabolic Brain Disease
Institution: Jawaharlal Nehru University
Language: English
Subfield: Complementary and alternative medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G4480250186
OpenAlex ID: W4280496067