ABSTRACT
Lead is a toxic element that causes harmful effects on the body system. Particularly, lead acetate, upon exposure, can be detrimental to the nervous system, leading to neurodegeneration. Exposure may arise from contaminated water, soil, air, consumer products, or work sites. Lead acetate toxicity can lead to cognitive defects, neurological defects, and reduced motor coordination. Many reports show the potential of plant-based antioxidants to counteract the damage induced by lead toxicity. Rutin is a phytochemical found in plants. It possesses antioxidative, pharmacological, and therapeutic abilities. This phytochemical has been reported to reverse the roaming of free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation, thereby balancing neuroinflammation and alleviating inflammationmediated neuronal damage. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective activity of Rutin on lead acetate-induced neurotoxicity in Wistar rats. For this study, thirty-six Wistar rats are placed in six groups (A-F), and administration of toxicants and antioxidants are as follows: Group A was pretreated with distilled water, Group B was pretreated with 100mg/kg of Lead acetate, Group C was pretreated with 50mg/Kg of Rutin and 100mg/Kg of Lead acetate, Group D was pretreated with 100mg/Kg of Rutin and 100mg/Kg of Lead acetate, Group E was pretreated with 50mg/kg of Rutin only and Group F 100mg/kg of Rutin only. The second dose was administered one hour after the first dose, and the administrations were delivered orally via an orogastric tube for twenty-eight days. At the end of the experiment, neurobehavioral activity (Y-maze test) was conducted to observe the cognitive behaviour of the rats. After that, the rats were sacrificed via cervical dislocation, and the cerebra were harvested for the evaluation of antioxidants (Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase, and Glutathione), as well as lipid peroxidation and Lead acetate concentration levels. Results showed a significant decrease in the final body and brain weight of rats in the Lead acetate group compared to the control and Rutin groups, which showed a higher final brain weight. A comparison of neurobehavioral activity showed that rats in the lead acetate group had significantly reduced neurobehavioral function compared to those in the Control and Rutin groups. Assessment of antioxidant activity showed oxidative stress in the lead acetate groups, whereas the Control and Rutin groups had significantly higher antioxidant activity. Histological findings revealed morphological alterations in the lead acetate group, while the groups treated with Rutin showed similar morphology to the control group. In conclusion, this study showed that Rutin protected the rats against lead acetate-induced cerebral toxicity. This protection is possibly mediated through its potent antioxidant properties.
