Batool Zehra, Agha Faiza, Tabassum Saiqa, Batool Tuba Sharf, Siddiqui Rafat Ali, Haider Saida
Neurochemistry and Biochemical Neuropharmacology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan,
Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars). 2019;79(2):169-183.
Cadmium, a heavy metal with no physiological function in the human body, is considered a bio-hazard. It is also considered to be a potent neurotoxin. The primary sources of cadmium exposure are diet and cigarette smoke. It has been postulated that nutritional deficiencies can increase the risk of cadmium toxicity. Nuts provide essential nutrients which are necessary for the maintenance of brain health in humans. The present study was designed to investigate the possible protective effects of almond and walnut supplementation on cadmium-induced neurotoxicity. Cadmium was orally administered at a dose of 50 mg/kg weekly with or without the supplementation of almond and walnut in rats. Intensities of depression‑ and anxiety-related behaviors were assessed by the forced swim test and light/dark transition test, respectively. Memory function was also evaluated by the elevated plus maze, Morris water maze and novel object recognition task. After four weeks of treatment it was observed that cadmium administration significantly induced depressogenic and anxiogenic behaviors. Memory function was also impaired by cadmium administration. Cadmium-treated rats exhibited reduced noradrenalin, dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain, whereas the levels of their respective metabolites were significantly increased. The dietary supplementation of almond and walnut at a dose of 400 mg/kg/day significantly attenuated cadmium-induced depression, anxiety and memory impairments. Neurochemical aberrations also normalized following supplementation with these nuts in rats. The present study demonstrates that long-term supplementation with almond and walnut provides essential nutrients which may overcome nutritional deficiencies and thereby reduce heavy-metal intoxication.
镉是一种在人体中无生理功能的重金属，被视为生物危害物。它也被认为是一种强效神经毒素。镉暴露的主要来源是饮食和香烟烟雾。据推测，营养缺乏会增加镉中毒的风险。坚果提供人体维持大脑健康所需的必需营养素。本研究旨在调查补充杏仁和核桃对镉诱导的神经毒性可能具有的保护作用。在大鼠中，每周口服给予50毫克/千克剂量的镉，同时分别补充或不补充杏仁和核桃。分别通过强迫游泳试验和明暗转换试验评估抑郁和焦虑相关行为的强度。还通过高架十字迷宫、莫里斯水迷宫和新物体识别任务评估记忆功能。治疗四周后观察到，给予镉显著诱发了抑郁和焦虑行为。给予镉也损害了记忆功能。经镉处理的大鼠大脑中的去甲肾上腺素、多巴胺和血清素水平降低，而它们各自代谢物的水平显著升高。以400毫克/千克/天的剂量在饮食中补充杏仁和核桃可显著减轻镉诱导的抑郁、焦虑和记忆损害。在大鼠中补充这些坚果后，神经化学异常也恢复正常。本研究表明，长期补充杏仁和核桃可提供必需营养素，这可能克服营养缺乏，从而减少重金属中毒。
