Adansonia digitata L. leaf extract attenuates lead-induced cortical histoarchitectural changes and oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortex of adult male Wistar rats.

Objectives Adansonia digitata L. is popularly known for the management of various neurological diseases in ethno-medicine. Studies have shown that lead toxicity is a possible risk factor for early onset of neurodegenerative disease. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of A. digitata aqueous leaf extract (ADALE) against lead-induced oxidative stress and histo-architectural changes in the prefrontal cortex of adult Wistar rats. Methods Saline (10 mL/kg), ADALE (500 and 1000 mg/kg) and EDTA (55 mg/kg) were pretreated orally 30 min prior to lead acetate (LA) (120 mg/kg) administration to male Wistar rats (n=7) for 21 days. Thereafter, standard biochemical (superoxide dismutate, catalase, glutathionxe and malondialdehyde), histological (H&E) and histochemical assessment (crystyl fast violet stain for nissil substance) were carried out in the prefrontal cortex. Results ADALE significantly (p<0.05) reversed LA-induced oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased catalase, superoxide dismutase and oxidized glutathione levels, and decreased malondialdehyde concentration in the prefrontal cortex. Also, the increase chromatolysis and neuronal pyknosis of the pyramidal neurons of the prefrontal cortex were significantly attenuated by ADALE. Conclusions The result of this study showed that A. digitata aqueous leaf extract attenuated lead acetate-induced cortical neurodegeneration via inhibition of oxidative stress.