Sains Malaysiana 53(3)(2024): 561-573
http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5303-07
Nigella sativa Supplementation
Attenuates Recognition Memory and Cellular Morphometric Impairments Induced by
Toluene Administration in Mice
(Suplemen Nigella sativa Melemahkan Ingatan Pengecaman dan Kemerosotan Sel Morfometri Aruhan Pemberian Toluena kepada Mencit)
NUR
LISA MOHD YUSOFF1, DURRIYYAH SHARIFAH HASAN ADLI2 &
SHEENA YIN XIN TIONG1,*
1Institute of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603
Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
2Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Diserahkan: 5 Julai2023/Diterima: 9 Februari2024
Abstract
Toluene exposure has been
associated with detrimental effects on the central nervous system. Discovering
natural products that can offer neuroprotection following toluene exposure is
an essential alternative. Nigella sativa (NS), a popular natural
supplement, is a good candidate due to its antioxidant and neuroprotective
properties. The study aimed to investigate the protective potentials of NS
against toluene, on recognition memory performance in the Novel Object
Recognition (NOR) test and cellular morphometric measurements of hippocampal
CA1 pyramidal neurons. Adult male ICR mice (n=30) were randomly divided into five
groups: Group 1 (G1) - corn oil (CO), G2 – Toluene (TOL), G3 - Toluene and NS
seed suspension (TOL-NSS), G4 - Toluene and NS oil (TOL-NSO), G5 - Toluene and thymoquinone (TOL-TQ). NS supplementations were
administered orally once daily for 14 consecutive days while 500 mg/kg b.w. toluene was administered intraperitoneally from day 8 until
day 14. Behavioural NOR test was conducted.
Subsequently, mice were intracardially perfused and
harvested brains were histologically processed. The somatic size and shape of
hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons were quantified according to specific
morphometric parameters. Toluene reduced recognition memory performance of mice
and somatic size of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Contradictorily, TQ,
NSO, and NSS improved mice recognition memory and somatic size of hippocampal
CA1 pyramidal neurons. Somatic shape of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal was
unaffected by the various treatments. Although non-significant differences were
observed, the results indicate the tendency for toluene to cause impairment,
while NS supplementations to improve mice recognition memory performance and
brain hippocampal neuron structure.
Keywords: Brain morphology; Nigella
sativa; recognition memory; somatic morphometry; toluene
Abstrak
Pendedahan kepada toluena telah dikaitkan dengan kesan buruk pada sistem saraf pusat. Pencarian bahan semula jadi yang boleh menawarkan perlindungan saraf berikutan pendedahan toluena adalah alternatif yang penting. Nigella sativa (NS), suplemen semula jadi yang popular, adalah calon yang baik kerana mempunyai ciri antioksida serta berpotensi melindungi sistem saraf. Penyelidikan ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji potensi perlindungan NS melalui prestasi ingatan pengecaman dalam ujian Pengecaman Objek Novel (NOR) dan pengukuran morfometrik sel CA1 neuron piramid hipokampus. Tikus ICR jantan dewasa (n=30) dibahagikan secara rawak kepada lima kumpulan: Kumpulan 1 (G1) - minyak jagung (CO), G2 - Toluena (TOL), G3 - Toluena dan biji NS (TOL-NSS), G4 - Toluena dan minyak NS (TOL-NSO), G5 - Toluena dan thymoquinone (TOL-TQ). Suplemen NS diberikan secara oral sekali sehari selama 14 hari berturut-turut manakala 500 mg/kg b.w. toluena diberikan secara intraperitoneal dari hari ke-8 hingga hari ke-14. Ujian NOR tingkah laku telah dijalankan. Selepas itu, perfusi intrakardiak dilakukan ke atas mencit dan otak yang dituai diproses secara histologi. Saiz dan bentuk somatik CA1 neuron piramid hipokampus dihitung mengikut parameter morfometrik tertentu. Toluena mengurangkan prestasi ingatan pengecaman mencit dan saiz somatik CA1 neuron piramid hipokampus. Sebaliknya, TQ, NSO dan NSS meningkatkan ingatan pengecaman tikus dan saiz somatik CA1 neuron piramid hipokampus. Bentuk somatik CA1 neuron piramid hipokampus tidak terjejas oleh pelbagai rawatan tersebut. Walaupun perbezaan yang tidak ketara dapat diperhatikan, keputusan menunjukkan kecenderungan toluena untuk menyebabkan kemerosotan, manakala suplemen NS untuk meningkatkan prestasi ingatan pengecaman mencit dan struktur neuron hipokampus otak.
Kata kunci: Ingatan pengecaman; morfologi otak; morfometri soma; Nigella sativa; toluene
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surat-menyurat; email: stiong@um.edu.my
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