Comparative Study of Aqueous and Ethanolic Artocarpus heterophyllus Extracts Against Mercuric Chloride Induced Neurobehavioral Toxicity
1Ogbo F. Ovie, 2Nwafor C. Charles and 3Preyor Ebizimo
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria.
2Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, College of Medicine, Parklane, Enugu State, Nigeria.
3Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
In rodents, oxidative stress from mercuric chloride poisoning damages many organs, including the brain. The purpose of this study was to determine whether jackfruit may protect rat brains from the oxidative stress caused by mercuric chloride (HgCl2). After acclimatization, thirty-two adult male rats weighing between 160 and 200 grams were randomly assigned to eight groups of four rats each. These groups were as follows: A: Tap water as the control; B: HgCl2 (0.5 mg/kg body wt.); C and D: Jackfruit ethanolic and aqueous extract (200 mg/kg body wt.); E and F: HgCl2 + Jackfruit ethanolic and aqueous extract (200 mg/kg body wt.); G and H: HgCl2 + Jackfruit ethanolic and aqueous extract (400 mg/kg body wt.) respectively. Every therapy involved oral gastric gavage and a 14-day duration. On the fifteenth day, rats underwent behavioral testing; the same day, they were put to death by cervical dislocation. All groups underwent the following analyses: behavioral investigations, phytochemical and proximate analysis of plant extracts, antioxidant measures, and histology of the rat cerebellum with respect to micro-anatomical parameters. In comparison to the control, mercuric chloride (HgCl2) significantly (p<0.05) increased the MDA level, CAT and SOD activity, decreased GSH and GPx level, and impaired motor performance. Additionally, it changed the microanatomy of these brain areas by reducing Purkinje cells. However, concurrent treatment of Artocarpus heterophyllus extract with HgCl2 caused a reversal of these parameters relative to control. Consequently, the rat cerebellum’s histoarchitecture showed protective effects from HgCl2-induced oxidative, neurobehavioral, and histological alterations when Artocarpus heterophyllus was administered both aqueously and ethanolically.
Keywords: Oxidative stress; mercuric chloride poisoning; ethanolic artocarpus heterophyllus.
CITE AS: Ogbo F. Ovie, Nwafor C. Charles and Preyor Ebizimo (2025). Comparative Study of Aqueous and Ethanolic Artocarpus heterophyllus Extracts Against Mercuric Chloride Induced Neurobehavioral Toxicity. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES, 6(3):30-39 https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJBAS/2025/6.3.30390000