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ABSTRACT
Aluminium is considered a nonessential metal and its increased biological availability has been linked to acute and chronic diseases in humans. Elevated aluminium levels has been found to cause some neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Aluminium toxicity is mediated by oxidative stress which is induced by an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species and free radicals in the body. Several plants possess protective activities which are useful against oxidative stress. Theobroma cacao is naturally occurring plant that has antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the protective activity of Theobroma cacao on aluminium-induced neurotoxicity in adult Wistar rats. Aft0er purchase and acclimatization, the adult Wistar rats were weighed and divided into six equal groups (control and experimental groups). Group A (Control) was administered 1 ml dH2O/day. Group B (Al) was administered 100 mg/kg body weight (BW) of Al only. Group C (Al + CO1) was administered 100 mg/kg BW of Al and 250 mg/kg BW/day of aqueous CO seed extract. Group D (Al + CO2) was administered 100 mg/kg BW of Al and 500 mg/kg BW of aqueous CO seed extract. Group E (CO1) was administered 250 mg/kg BW of aqueous CO seed extract only. Group F (CO2) was administered 500 mg/kg BW of aqueous CO seed extract only. The administration, via an orogastric tube, lasted for 28 days and rats were fed with standard rat chow and had free access to water throughout the entire study period. Animals were weighed every two weeks before commencement and throughout the experiment. At the end of the experiment, neurobehavioral activity (Open field test) was evaluated, recorded, and the rats were then sacrificed for sample collection. Following appropriate harvesting of the cerebrum, the antioxidant activity and histological alterations were investigated. Results showed a significant decrease in the final body weight (FBW) of rats in the Al group when compared to control and CO groups. The neurobehavioral activity showed that there was a significant decrease in neurobehavioural function of rats in the Al groups when compared to control and CO groups which had significant increase. Results from antioxidant activity showed (low antioxidant activity) in the Al groups whereas the Control and CO groups increased significantly in antioxidant activity. Therefore, the findings showed that CO did not intoxicate the animals but protected them against aluminium toxicity. From this results the study establishes that this is the first research evidence on the protective activity of CO against cerebellar aluminium-induced neurotoxicity in adult Wistar rats
