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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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: stiong@um.edu.my

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

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