ABSTRACT

The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of methanol extract of A. vogelii on some neuroprotective parameters/markers (vitamin E, adenine dearninase and acetylcholinesterase) in Wistar Rats. The leaves of the plant A. bonnei were collected at Umudike, Ikwuano local government area of Ahia state. They were air dried, milled and stored in an air tight container for further use. A total of I 6 adult Wistar rats of male sex ( 100-130 g) used for this study were acclimatized for one week and the rats were randomly divided into four equal groups. Group I (normal control) received only water and feed. Group 2 served as the positive control (and received mercury chloride). Group 3 was intoxicated with mercury chloride and treated with Diazepam (5 mg/kg). Animals in group 4 were neurointoxicated and treated with the plant extract (400 mg/k). From the results of vitamin E. in the cerebellum, it was observed group 3 when compared to the group I, showed a significant (p<0.05) increase; while group 2 on comparism to group I, showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease. Also. group 4 showed an insignificant (p >0.05) on comparism with group I. Furthermore, the group 2 on comparism to the group3, indicated a significant decrease (p<0.05); while group 4, showed an insignificant decrease when compared with group 3. In the cerebrum, From the chart above, the untreated group when compared to the normal control, showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease: while the intoxicant 4. bonnie group when compared to the normal control. had an insignificant (p>0.05) decrease. Furthermore, when the untreated group was compared to the intoxicant + standard drug group, a significant (p<0.05) decrease was recorded; while the intoxicant + A. bonnie group in comparism with the intoxicant+ standard drug group, showed an insignificant (p<0.05) decrease. From fig. 4.2 showing result of acetylcholinesterasc, in the cerebellum, the untreated group in comparism to the normal control, had a significant (p<0.05) increase, while the intoxicant+ extract group when compared with the normal control had an insignificant (p<0.05) decrease. Also, the untreated group on comparism to the intoxicant + standard drug group. recorded a significant (p<0.05) increase; while the intoxicant+ extract group when compared to the intoxicant+ standard drug group had an insignificant (p>0.05) increase. Considering the cerebrum, the untreated group when compared to the normal control, showed a significant (p<0.05) increase, while there was a significant decrease when intoxicant + extract group was compared to the normal control. Furthermore, the untreated group when compared to the intoxicant+ standard drug group showed a significant (p<0.05) increase; while there was a significant decrease when the intoxicant + extract group was compared to the intoxicant+ standard drug group. Finally. the result of adenine deaminase showed that in the cerebellum, there was an insignificant (p>0.05) decrease existed when the untreated group was compared with the normal control; also the intoxicant + extract group showed an insignificant (p>0.05) decrease on comparism to the normal control. Furthermore, an insignificant (p>0.05) decrease was shown when the untreated group was compared to the intoxicant+ standard drug group; while an insignificant (p<0.05) increase was recorded when the intoxicant + extract group was compared to the intoxicant + standard drug. In the cerebrum, a significant (p>0.05) decrease was shown when the untreated group was compared with the normal control; while a significant (p<0.05) increase was recorded when the intoxicant+ extract group was compared to the normal control. Also, an insignificant (p>0.05) decrease was recorded when the untreated was compared to the intoxicant + standard drug group: while a significant increase (p<0.05) was shown for intoxicant + extract group against the intoxicant + standard drug group. In this work, it has been seen that mercury intoxication affects the cerebrum and cerebellum of animals.