MALONDIALDEHYDE, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, NITRIC OXIDE LEVELS IN Drosophila melanogaster EXPOSED TO LEAD AND Treated with Picralima Nitida

ABSTRACT

Picralima nitida is a medicinal plant that plays a large and vital role in both the treatment and management of lead- induced diseases, by increasing the survival rate, also by monitoring the levels of selected biomarkers (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide) in Drosophila melanogaster. The objective of this study is to induce oxidative stress using lead in Drosophila melanogaster and to investigate its effects on the levels of selected oxidative stress parameters. Survival rate in Drosophila melanogaster exposed to different concentrations of lead in meal and Picralima nitida was also studied and its phytochemicals. A total of 250 Drosophila melanogaster flies was grouped into nine groups (A-I) each was used for this study. Group A was used as control group and fed normal standard meal. Group B was fed 0.25mg/dl lead acetate, group C was fed 1mg/dl lead acetate, group D was fed 10mg/kg Picralima nitida meal, group E was fed 100mg/kg Picralima nitida diet, group F was fed 0.25mg/dl lead acetate and 10mg/kg Picralima nitida, group G was fed 1mg/dl lead acetate and 10mg/kg Picralima nitida, group H was fed 0.25mg/dl lead acetate and 100mg/kg picralima nitida and group I was fed with 1mg/dl lead acetate and 100mg/kg Picralima nitida. After 5 days, the flies were homogenized and the supernatants recovered from each group were used for the various biochemical (oxidative stress markers; malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide) and survival studies. The results from this study have shown that lead at various concentrations has deleterious effects on the level of selected biomarkers (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide) in Drosophila melanogaster. Lead exposed meals at high concentrations such as 1mg/dl is very toxic. Whereas varying concentrations of Picralima nitida such as 10mg/kg and 100mg/kgshowed ameliorative effects. Therefore, it can be deduced that Picralima nitida has provided a framework for managing and treating various concentrations of lead toxicity and poisoning. As technology continues to improve, Picralima nitida in the laboratory will undoubtedly become a more accurate and sensitive predictor of making treatment and management of lead toxicity and poisoning safer and more effective.