Abstract

PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF VITAMIN C AND E ON HIPPOCAMPUS OF METHAMPHETAMINE INDUCED BRAIN DISORDER ON ADULT MALE WISTAR RATS

Anazodo Nneka Gloria* and Ezejindu Damian Nnabuihe

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Abstract

This study examined the protective effects of vitamin (vit.) C and E on methamphetamine (meth) induced brain disorder in adult male Wistar rats. 56 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups of 8 animals each, for a period of 14 days. Group A received normal saline and showed normal neurological features at tissue level, group B received meth and showed impairment on both histoarchitectural and immunohistochemical level, group C received vitamin (vit). C and showed normal neurological features at tissue level, group D received vit. E and showed normal neurological features at tissue level, group E received meth and vit. C and showed reversal of meth induced neuronal changes, group F received meth and vit. E and also showed reversal of meth induced neuronal changes, group G received meth, vit. C and E and showed synergistic improvement in reversal of meth induced neuronal changes Vit. C treatment reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels, improved histoarchitectural arrangement of neurons in hematoxyline and eosin ( H and E) and cresyl violet (CSV) stain, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH-Px) and B cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) levels, vit. E treatment showed similar effects with vit. C with much improvement, while both vit. C and E combined together produced synergistic effect. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that treatment with meth resulted in weight loss, though not statistically significant and vit. C and E treatment improved weight gain. Also, treatment with meth resulted in a decline in total brain weight and vit. C and E improved the total brain weight. Treatment with meth also resulted in increased MDA activities in the hippocampus and a decline in SOD and GSH levels which were ameliorated by treatment with vit. C and E. Further, treatment with meth resulted in decreased cell count on H and E and CSV stains and increased count on TNF-α stain, though not statistically significant. Treatment with vit. C and E offered some protection. Treatment with meth showed significant decrease in BCL-2 level, improved by vit. C and E.

Keywords: Metheamphetamine, vitamin C and E, Hippocmpus.