AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF AQEOUS EXTRACT OF NEEM(AZADIRACHTA INDICA) LEAF AND QUERCETINE IN MERCURY CHLORIDE INDUCED NEUROTOXICITY ON MEDIAL GENICULATE BODY IN ADULT WISTAR RAT

Fakunle Ponle Bamidele, Ehiremen Samuel Ehimare*, Omotosho Dhulqarnain Akanji, Taiwo-Ola Dorcas Olubunmi, Emmanuel Chinomso Jonathan and Adeniji Adebusola Ayomiposi

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Heavy metals such as mercury accumulate in air, water, and land due to increased industrial activities, mercury chloride (HgCl2) exposure resulted in neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment. Herbal traditional medicine, medicinal plants have been employed to combat the toxicity of heavy metals and treating of many diseases in traditional medicine. Aim: To examine the ameliorative effect combine therapy of aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica leaf and quercetin in mercury chloride induced neurotoxicity in medial geniculate body in adult wistar rat. Methodology: After a period of 14 days of acclimatization, 25 healthy male wistar rats weighing 150±50g were randomly allocated to five groups, group1(distilled water only), group2 ( 2mg/kg mercury chloride only PO), group3 (2mg/kg mercury chloride + 200mg/kg extract of A.indica PO), group4(2mg/kg mercury chloride+ 200mg/kg extract of A.indica PO) and group 5 (2mg/kg + 15mg/kg) The rats were subjected to mercuric chloride, aqueous seed extract of Azadirachta indica and Quercetin for fourteen (14)consecutive days. Result: The impact of the extract on the median geniculate body weight, full blood count as well as the histology of the media geniculate body were scrutinized. The data revealed that the aqueous seed extract of Azadirachta indica and Quercetine in a dose-dependent manner, there was no significance difference in the level of Haematocrit in all the animal groups (P>0.05.) The relative weight of the medial geniculate body exhibited a significant decrease in the treated groups compared to the mercury chloride-only group. The histology of the cerebellum delineated pathological changes arising from the exposure to mercury chloride, while Azadirachta indica and Quercetin brought about regenerative changes. Conclusion: In summary, the study posits that owing to the presence of phytochemicals in Azadirachta indica and Quercetin, it was effective in ameliorating the neurotoxicity induced by mercury chloride in the medial geniculate body of the rats.

Keywords: Neurotoxicity, Azadirachta indica, Quercetin, Medial Geniculate Body and Mercury chloride.