Preventive Efficiency of Chelidonium majus Ethanolic Extract Against Aflatoxin B1 Induced Neurochemical Deteriorations in Rats.

Abstract

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Aflatoxins affect many species including humans and animals, therefore the present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of <i>Chelidonium majus</i> Ethanolic Extract (CMEE) on neurotoxicity induced by Aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> (AFB1) in rats. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Four groups of male Albino rats were treated orally for 28 days as follows: (1) Control group was daily given DMSO-PBS buffer (1.0 mL per rat), (2) CMEE (300 mg kg<sup>1</sup>/day) dissolved in DMSO-PBS buffer, (3) AFB1 (80 μg kg<sup>1</sup>/day) dissolved in DMSO-PBS buffer and (4) Received daily AFB1 (300 mg kg<sup>1</sup>) in combination with CMEE (300 mg kg<sup>1</sup>). <b>Results:</b> CMEE exhibits antioxidant activity <i>in vitro</i> and neuroameliorative efficiency <i>in vivo</i> as its administration in combination with AFB1 succeeded significantly in down regulating the elevated levels of inflammatory and apoptotic markers and restoring the values of neurochemical markers (AChE-ase, dopamine and serotonin) that were deteriorated by AFB1 intake. <b>Conclusion:</b> In conclusion, the neuroprotective effect of CMEE may be mediated through its antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity that proved from the data<i> </i>of ferric-reducing power ability and DPPH radical scavenging activity.