The protective effect of Physalis peruviana L. against cadmium-induced neurotoxicity in rats

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2014 Sep;160(3):392-9. doi: 10.1007/s12011-014-0066-9. Epub 2014 Jul 15.

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the protective effect of Physalis peruviana L. (family Solanaceae) against cadmium-induced neurotoxicity in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1 was used as control. Group 2 was intraperitoneally injected with 6.5 mg/kg bwt of cadmium chloride for 5 days. Group 3 was treated with 200 mg/kg bwt of methanolic extract of Physalis (MEPh). Group 4 was pretreated with MEPh 1 h before cadmium for 5 days. Cadmium treatment induced marked disturbances in neurochemical parameters as indicating by significant (p < 0.05) reduction in dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebellum, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex and enhanced significantly (p < 0.05) the levels of lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide in the brain. Cadmium treatment also decreased the amount of nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants significantly (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with MEPh resulted in significant (p < 0.05) decreases in lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide levels and restored the amount of glutathione successfully. Although, preadministration of MEPh also brought the activities of cellular antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase significantly (p < 0.05) to the control levels, as well as the levels of Ca(2+), Cl(-), DA, 5-HT, and serotonin metabolite, 5-HIAA. These data indicated that Physalis has a beneficial effect in ameliorating the cadmium-induced oxidative neurotoxicity in the brain of rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Brain Chemistry / drug effects
  • Brain* / metabolism
  • Brain* / pathology
  • Cadmium / toxicity
  • Cadmium Chloride / toxicity*
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / metabolism
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes* / metabolism
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes* / pathology
  • Neurotoxicity Syndromes* / prevention & control
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Physalis / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Serotonin / metabolism

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Plant Extracts
  • Cadmium
  • Serotonin
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Cadmium Chloride
  • Dopamine