Preliminary investigation of the activity of aqueous <i>Cucumis sativus</i> fruit extract on the prefrontal cortex in Wistar rats

Abstract

Cucumis sativus Linn. is reported to have a wide variety of medicinal uses due to its abundance of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and secondary metabolites. This study investigated the possible alterations in the prefrontal cortex of adult Wistar rats following the administration of aqueous Cucumis sativus fruit extract (ACSFE). Eighteen (18) Wistar rats, randomly divided into three groups (n=6), were used for this study. Group A served as control while Groups B and C received 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of ACSFE respectively. At the end of the administration, the rats were weighed and the Y-maze test was utilized to evaluate spontaneous alternation of the experimental rats. Thereafter, the cerebri were harvested for antioxidant [Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione (GSH)], lipid peroxidation [Malondialdehyde (MDA)] and histological evaluations. Results showed that there were no significant differences in the final body, absolute whole brain weights and spontaneous alternation of the extract-treated Groups when compared to the control. The histological sections of the prefrontal cortex of the rats in control Group were similar to the extract-treated groups showing normal pyramidal cells with open-face nuclei, basophilic cytoplasm and normal neuroglia cells. Taken together, ACSFE, at these doses, is not toxic to the prefrontal cortex of Wistar rats.