Effects of α/β artether—An antimalarial drug on cerebral cortex in developing chick embryo – A histopathological and immunohistochemical study

Abstract

IntroductionSince a long time chick embryo is proving a satisfactory animal for embryological research work due to several advantages. Malaria is a febrile illness caused by protozoa Plasmodium and spread by female anopheles mosquito, still continues to be one of the India’s leading public health problem. α/β artether is one of the most common antimalarial drug used worldwide to treat chloroquine resistant malaria and malaria falciparum. The present study was designed to assess the teratogenic effects of α/β artether on developing chick embryo. Material and methodsThe study was performed on 300 fertilized eggs of white leg horn chicken. The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Santosh Medical College, Ghaziabad Delhi-NCR in association with Department of Anatomy, Gold Field Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Faridabad. The eggs were divided in to five experimental groups A, B, C, D, E having 30 eggs each and five control groups a,b,c,d,e one each for every experimental group respectively having 30 eggs each. On 5th day of incubation eggs from experimental groups A, B, C, D and E were exposed to α/β artether with dose of 0.000195mg, 0.00039mg, 0.000585mg, 0.00078mg, 0.00097mg and 0.00117mg whereas the control groups were treated with same amount of normal saline. ResultsThe results showed growth retardation and some significant, histopathological and immunphistochemical abnormalities. Degenerative changes in cerebral cortex with reduced number of neurons with hemorrhage. DiscussionGlial Fibrilary acidic protein and Neurofilament polypeptide expression in cerebrum of chick embryo indices neurodegenerative process.