Ahidjo Nene, Ngarka Leonard, Seke Etet Paul F, Njamnshi Wepnyu Y, Nfor Leonard N, Mengnjo Michel K, Basseguin Atchou Jonas G, Mouofo Edmond N, Tatah Godwin Y, Dong A Zok Faustin, Ngadjui Bonaventure T, Ngwa Wilfred, Njamnshi Alfred K
Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland.
Brain Commun. 2021 Jul 28;3(3):fcab170. doi: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab170. eCollection 2021.
We reported recently that the elevated plus maze is a good tool for evaluating cognitive and motor functional changes in gamma-irradiated rats as a model for new drug evaluation and monitoring. The capacity of to mitigate radiation-induced brain injury is currently unknown. We therefore assessed the effects of the neuroprotective medicinal plant , on the cognitive and motor changes in this murine model of acute radiation syndrome. Wistar rats exposed once to an ionizing dose of Tc99m-generated Gamma radiation were treated with an ethyl acetate fraction of methanolic extract of seeds (content of 100 mg/kg of extract) for 9 weeks. Cognitive and motor function indicators were assessed in the elevated plus maze in these animals and compared with irradiated control groups (vitamin C- and vehicle-treated groups) and the non-irradiated control rats. The irradiated control group displayed cachexia, shaggy and dirty fur, porphyrin deposits around eyes, decreased exploratory activity, reduced social interactions and a loss of thigmotaxis revealed by a marked decrease in rearing episodes and stretch attend posture episodes close to the walls of elevated plus maze closed arm, an increased central platform time, and decreases in open arm time and entries. This group further displayed a decrease in head dips and grooming episodes. Treatment with , and in a lesser extent vitamin C, significantly prevented the body weight loss ( < 0.001) and mitigated the development of elevated plus maze signs of cognitive and motor affections observed in the irradiated control group ( < 0.05). Altogether, our data suggest for the first time that seeds have protective properties against the development of cognitive and motor decline in the acute radiation syndrome-like context. Future studies are warranted to characterize the molecular mechanisms and neuronal networks of this action.
我们最近报道，高架十字迷宫是评估γ射线照射大鼠认知和运动功能变化的良好工具，可作为新药评估和监测的模型。目前尚不清楚[具体药物名称未提及]减轻辐射诱导脑损伤的能力。因此，我们评估了具有神经保护作用的药用植物[具体植物名称未提及]种子对这种急性放射综合征小鼠模型认知和运动变化的影响。将一次性暴露于由99m锝产生的电离剂量γ辐射的Wistar大鼠，用[具体植物名称未提及]种子甲醇提取物的乙酸乙酯馏分（提取物含量为100mg/kg）治疗9周。在这些动物的高架十字迷宫中评估认知和运动功能指标，并与辐射对照组（维生素C和赋形剂治疗组）和未辐射的对照大鼠进行比较。辐射对照组表现出恶病质、毛发粗糙且脏污、眼睛周围有卟啉沉积、探索活动减少、社交互动减少以及趋触性丧失，表现为在高架十字迷宫封闭臂壁附近的竖毛发作和伸展关注姿势发作明显减少、中央平台时间增加、开放臂时间和进入次数减少。该组还表现出头倾和梳理发作减少。用[具体植物名称未提及]种子治疗，以及在较小程度上用维生素C治疗，显著防止了体重减轻（P<0.001），并减轻了在辐射对照组中观察到的高架十字迷宫认知和运动功能障碍迹象的发展（P<0.05）。总之，我们的数据首次表明，[具体植物名称未提及]种子在类似急性放射综合征的情况下对认知和运动功能衰退的发展具有保护作用。未来的研究有必要对这种作用的分子机制和神经网络进行表征。
