Abstract
Tetracarpidium conophorum (African Walnut) is a plant with acclaimed multi-therapeutic properties in different parts of the plant. This research investigated the effect of fermented walnut supplemented diet on cadmium-induced toxicity in the liver and brain of rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of five animals each weighing between 90-140 g. Group 1 received 5 mg/kg body weight cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and normal rat feed. Group 2 received a normal rat diet while groups 3 and 4 received 5 mg/kg body weight of cadmium chloride, and 5% and 10% walnut supplemented feed respectively. Cadmium (Cd) was administered daily for 6 weeks by oral intubation. Rats were sacrificed 24 hrs after the final treatment. Cd exposure elicited increased activities of Acetylcholinesterase, Superoxide dismutase, Catalase as well as elevated Glutathione levels. In addition, Cd exposure caused increases in rat plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentration. The fermented walnut supplemented diet restored some rats’ biochemical parameter to near normal comparable to control. Our study shows that walnut supplemented food could substantially moderate Cd-induced toxicity in rat liver and brain while providing health and nutritional benefits. Hence, it could be useful for occupationally exposed individuals as a dietary intervention to reduce adverse health effects.
Highlights
Heavy metals among several environmental pollutants pose an insidious threat and have been gaining global attention in recent decades probably because of the phenomenal increase in population, economic development and anthropogenic activities in the industrial, agricultural and mining sectors (World Health Organization, 2019; Nasrollahi et al, 2020)
This supposed response of antioxidant enzymes is not sacrosanct as a few studies have reported a decline in the activities of these antioxidant enzymes in the brain on exposure to Cd (Shukla et al, 1996; Nemmiche et al, 2007; Zhang et al, 2009), suggesting that the fundamental basis for oxidative stress triggered by Cd, cellular response and Alejolowo et al / Food Research 6 (1) (2022) 223 - 232 supposed functions is unpredictable
The walnut supplemented diet was assessed for proximate composition using the AOAC methods
Summary
Heavy metals among several environmental pollutants pose an insidious threat and have been gaining global attention in recent decades probably because of the phenomenal increase in population, economic development and anthropogenic activities in the industrial, agricultural and mining sectors (World Health Organization, 2019; Nasrollahi et al, 2020). Previous studies reported that Cd triggers oxidative stress with quantitative abatement of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase, superoxide dismutase and catalase in the central nervous system (Shagirtha et al, 2011). This supposed response of antioxidant enzymes is not sacrosanct as a few studies have reported a decline in the activities of these antioxidant enzymes in the brain on exposure to Cd (Shukla et al, 1996; Nemmiche et al, 2007; Zhang et al, 2009), suggesting that the fundamental basis for oxidative stress triggered by Cd, cellular response and Alejolowo et al / Food Research 6 (1) (2022) 223 - 232 supposed functions is unpredictable. Cadmium has a high affinity for thiol in cysteine-rich metallothionein which is known to sequester heavy metals (Nishitai and Matsuoka, 2008), leading to oxidative stress
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