Anat Cell Biol.  2020 Jun;53(2):183-193. 10.5115/acb.19.205.

Ficus exasperata Vahl leaves extract attenuates motor deficit in vanadium-induced parkinsonism mice

• Adekeye AO
• Irawo GJ
• Fafure AA

• KMID: 2503448
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.19.205

Abstract

Medicinal herbs have played significant roles in the treatment of various diseases in humans and animals. Sodium metavanadate is a potentially toxic environmental pollutant that induces oxidative damage, neurological disorder, Parkinsonism and Parkinson-like disease upon excessive exposure. This study is designed to investigate the impact of saponin fraction of Ficus exasperata Vahl leaf extract (at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight for 14 days at different animal groupings) on vanadium treated mice. Animals were randomly grouped into five groups. Control (normal saline), NaVO3 (10 mg/kg for 7 days), withdrawal group, NaVO3+Vahl (low dose) and NaVO3+Vahl (high dose). The animals were screened for motor coordination using rotarod and PBTs and a post mortem study was conducted by quantitatively assessing the markers of oxidative stress such as lipid peroxidation, catalase, glutathione activities, and also through immunohistochemistry via glia fibrillary acidic protein, tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter to study the integrity of astrocytes and dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra (SNc). Vanadium-exposed group showed a decreased motor activity on the neurobehavioural tests as well as an increase in markers of oxidative stress. Saponin fraction of F. exasperata Vahl leaves extract produced a statistically significant motor improvement which may be due to high antioxidant activities of saponin, thereby providing an ameliorative effect on the histoarchitecture of the SNc. It can be inferred that the saponin fraction of F. exasperata Vahl leaves extract to possesses ameliorative, motor-enhancing and neurorestorative benefit on motor deficit in vanadium-induced parkinsonism mice.

Keyword

Saponins; Immunohistochemistry; Parkinsonian disorders; Vanadium; Neurodegerative disease

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Graph showing the latency of fall of the experimental animals (P-value=0.894). HD, high dose; LD, low dose; NS, not significant.

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  Fig. 2 Graph showing the latency of turn of the experimental animals (P-value=0.029: F-value=9.216). HD, high dose; LD, low dose. *P<0.05, **P<0.01.

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  Fig. 3 Graph representing the concentration of MDA (units) per mg in brain tissue. There is no statistical significant different in the MDA between the control and vanadium treated groups. Sodium metavanadate and low dose of Ficus exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl LD), Sodium metavanadate and low dose of F. exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl HD). HD, high dose; LD, low dose; MDA, malondialdehyde.

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  Fig. 4 Graph representing the concentration of CAT (units) per mg in brain tissue homogenate. There is statistical significant different in the CAT between the control and vanadium and Ficus exasperata treated groups. Sodium metavanadate and low dose of F. exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl LD), Sodium metavanadate and low dose of F. exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl HD). CAT, catalase; HD, high dose; LD, low dose. *P<0.05.

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  Fig. 5 Graph representing the concentration of GSH (units) per mg in brain tissue homogenate. There is statistical significant different in the catalase between the control and vanadium and Ficus exasperata treated groups. Sodium metavanadate and low dose of F. exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl LD), Sodium metavanadate and low dose of F. exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl HD). GSH, glutathione; HD, high dose, LD, low dose. *P<0.05.

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  Fig. 6 Bar chart showing the relative brain weight of the experimental animals (P-value=0.458: F-value=1.918). There is no statistical significant different in the relative brain weight between the groups. Sodium metavanadate and low dose of Ficus exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl LD), Sodium metavanadate and low dose of F. exasperata Vahl (NaVO3+Vahl HD). HD, high dose; LD, low dose; NS, not significant.

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  Fig. 7 Photomicrograph of the SNc immunostained for TH (×100). Control group (A) and NaVO3+Vahl group (D) low dose, showed normal DA neurons which are evenly distributed, while the vanadium exposed group (B) displayed degeneration and disruption of DA neurons, withdrawal group (C) shows the presence of scanty distribution of normal DA neurons, while NaVO3+Vahl group (E) high dose, revealed slight recovery of degenerated DA neurons. Black arrows indicate the TH cells (DA neurons). DA, dopaminergic; SNc, substantia nigra; TH, tyrosine hydroxylase.

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  Fig. 8 Photomicrograph of the SNc immunostained for DAT (×100). Control (A) group revealed little expression of the DAT. Vanadium group (B) shows increased expression of DAT activity, while withdrawal group revealed little expression of DAT. However, NaVO3+Vahl group (D) low dose, revealed little expression of DAT, while NaVO3+Vahl group (E) high dose, revealed increased DAT activity. Black arrows indicat the dopaminergic transporter. DAT, dopamine transporter; SNc, substantia nigra.

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  Fig. 9 Photomicrograph of the SNc immunostained for GFAP. From the vanadium Group (B) and withdrawal group (C), it can be observed that Vanadium-induced astroglia activation as shown by the presence of well-marked activated astrocytes, while control group (A) revealed no trace of astrocyte activation. NaVO3+Vahl group (D) low dose and NaVO3+Vahl group (E) high dose, revealed no traces of activated astrocytes. GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein; SNc, substantia nigra.

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