Effect Of Methanol Leaf Extract Of Acanthus Montanus On Some Neurological Parameters In Wista Aibino Rats:- Onyedinma, Emmaanuel I

ABSTRACT ix The effect ofmethanol leafextract ofAcanthus montanus was evaluated in this study. Sixteen (16) wistar albino rats were randomized into four groups. Animals in group one (control), distilled water was administered orally. Group two (extract group), mecurry chloride induced rats that received 400mg/kg body weight of methanol extract of A. montanus, orally for fourteen days. Group three (standard group), Hgcl2 induced rats that received 2mg/kg body weight ofDiazepam standard drug, orally daily for fourteen days. Group four (untreated group) Hgch induced rats that received 0.25g/kg body weight of rats daily for fourteen days. After fourteen days of neurotoxic doses of Hgch to rats induced oxidative stress in the brain, Vitamine E, Acetylecholine esterase and adenine diaminase level were evaluated. The result in figure 4.1 showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in vitamin E concentration in the untreated group when compared to other treated groups; normal control group with mean value (0.783±0.01), Intoxicated +std drug (1.28±0.12) and intoxicated + extract group (1.216±0.17). However, the intoxicated + extract group and standard drug group showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in Vitamin E concentration when compared with normal control group in cerebellum and cerebrum showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the vitamin E concentrations in the untreated group with (0.99±0.23) when compared to other treated groups, intoxicated + extract group with (1.26±0.02) and standard drug group with (1.19±0.04). However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in standard drug group when compared to and normal control group. The result in figure 4.2 showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in acetylecholine easterase concentration in the untreated group with (0.48±0.15) when compared to other treated groups. However, there was a recorded significant (p<0.05) decrease in the level of acetylecholine easterase in intoxicated + extract group (0.242±0.03) and standard drug group (0.21±0.13) when compared with normal control group with (0.26±0.33) in cerebellum while in cerebrum showed a high significant (p<0.05) decrease in the acetylecholine easterase level in the untreated group with (0.05±0.53) when compared to other treated groups, intoxicated + extract group with (1.17±0.02) and standard drug group with (1.17±0.04). However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in standard drug group when compared to and normal control group. The result in figure 4.3 showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in adenine deaminase level in the treated groups, intoxicated + extract group (0.18±0.03) and standard drug group (0.16±0.13) when compared to the untreated groups. However, there was a recorded significant (p<0.05) difference in the level ofadenine deaminase inintoxicated + extract group (0.18±0.03) with normal control group with (0.18±0.33) in cerebellum and the result of cerebrum in figure 4.3 showed a high significant (p<0.05) increase in the adenine deaminase level in all the treated groups, intoxicated + extract group with (0.29±0.53) and standard drug group with (0.25±0.04) when compared to untreated group with (1.17±0.02). However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in intoxicated + extract group group when compared to and normal control group. However, administration of methanol extract ofAcanthus montanus revealed the potentials ofthe extracts as neuroprotective agent in the following ways: brain morphologic features and histometric characteristic of brain regions (cerebrum and cerebellum) were preserved relative to the control, histologic and histochemical alterations in cerebrum and cerebellum cortices were ameliorated relative to the control. In conclusion, findings suggest that, methanol extract of Acanthus montanus are potentially efficacious in ameliorating mercury-induced alterations in the brain (cerebrum and cerebellum) of Wistar rats and could be potential candidates for application rn the management and treatment ofreactive oxygen species-induced neurodegenerative diseases.