Asadabad School of Medical Sciences, Asadabad, Iran.
Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2022 Jul;72:126993. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.126993. Epub 2022 May 6.
Lead (Pb) is one of the most hazardous pollutants that induce a wide spectrum of neurological changes such as learning and memory deficits. Sesamin, a phytonutrient of the lignan class, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and neuroprotective properties. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of sesamin against Pb-induced learning and memory deficits, disruption of hippocampal theta and gamma rhythms, inflammatory response, inhibition of blood δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) activity, Pb accumulation, and neuronal loss in rats.
Sesamin treatment (30 mg/kg/day; P.O.) was started simultaneously with Pb acetate exposure (500 ppm in standard drinking water) in rats, and they continued for eight consecutive weeks.
The results showed that chronic exposure to Pb disrupted the learning and memory functions in both passive-avoidance and water-maze tests, which was accompanied by increase in spectral theta power and theta/gamma ratio, and a decrease in spectral gamma power in the hippocampus. Additionally, Pb exposure resulted in an enhanced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) content, decreased interleukin-10 (IL-10) production, inhibited blood δ-ALA-D activity, increased Pb accumulation, and neuronal loss of rats. In contrast, sesamin treatment improved all the above-mentioned Pb-induced pathological changes.
This data suggests that sesamin could improve Pb-induced learning and memory deficits, possibly through amelioration of hippocampal theta and gamma rhythms, modulation of inflammatory status, restoration of the blood δ-ALA-D activity, reduction of Pb accumulation in the blood and the brain tissues, and prevention of neuronal loss.
铅（Pb）是最危险的污染物之一，可引起广泛的神经变化，如学习和记忆缺陷。芝麻素是木脂素类的植物营养素，具有抗炎、抗凋亡和神经保护作用。本研究旨在研究芝麻素对铅诱导的学习和记忆障碍、海马θ和γ节律紊乱、炎症反应、抑制血液δ-氨基-γ-酮戊酸脱水酶（δ-ALA-D）活性、铅积累和神经元丧失的影响。
芝麻素治疗（30mg/kg/天；P.O.）与醋酸铅暴露（标准饮水中 500ppm）同时开始，持续八周。
结果表明，慢性暴露于 Pb 破坏了被动回避和水迷宫测试中的学习和记忆功能，同时伴随着海马体中光谱θ功率和θ/γ比值增加以及光谱γ功率降低。此外，Pb 暴露导致肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）含量增加，白细胞介素-10（IL-10）产生减少，血液 δ-ALA-D 活性抑制，血铅和脑组织中铅积累增加，神经元丧失。相比之下，芝麻素治疗改善了所有上述由 Pb 引起的病理变化。
这些数据表明，芝麻素可以改善 Pb 诱导的学习和记忆障碍，可能通过改善海马θ和γ节律、调节炎症状态、恢复血液 δ-ALA-D 活性、减少血铅和脑组织中铅积累以及预防神经元丧失来实现。
