The beneficial effect of Cape gooseberry juice on carbon tetrachloride-induced neuronal damage

Title:The beneficial effect of Cape gooseberry juice on carbon tetrachloride-induced neuronal damage

Volume: 15 Issue: 3

Author(s): Ebtesam M. Al-Olayan, Manal F. El-Khadragy, Sawsan A. Omer, Mohamed T.M. Shata, Rami B. Kassab and Ahmed E. Abdel Moneim

Affiliation:

Keywords: Physalis peruviana L., carbon tetrachloride, oxidative stress, antioxidant, brain.

Abstract: Objective: Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) belongs to the Solanaceae family. Physalis has many medicinal properties however, the beneficial effect of physalis in protecting against neurotoxins has not yet been evaluated. This experimental study investigated the protective effect of physalis juice against the oxidative damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in the rat brain.

Methods: The degrees of protection by physalis in brain tissues were evaluated by determining the brain levels of lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase), after CCl₄) induction in the presence or absence of physalis. Adult male albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, Group I served as the control group, Group II was intraperitoneally treated with 2 ml CCl₄)/kg bwt for 12 weeks, Group III was supplemented with physalis juice via the drinking water for 12 weeks, Group IV was supplemented with physalis juice and was intraperitoneally injected weekly with CCl₄).

Results: Treatment with CCl₄) was significantly associated with a disturbance in the oxidative status in the brain tissues; this was marked by a significant (p<0.05) elevation in the lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide levels with a concomitant reduction in glutathione content compared to the control, along with a remarkable reduction in antioxidant enzymes. The administration of physalis along with CCl₄) juice significantly (p<0.05) alleviated the changes in enzymatic antioxidant activity when compared to the CCl₄) treated group. Furthermore, physalis juice supplemention inhibited apoptosis, as indicated by the increase of Bcl-2 immunoreactivity in brain tissue.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that physalis juice could be effective in preventing neurotoxicity and the neuroprotective effect of physalis might be mediated via antioxidant and anti-apoptosis activities.

Cite this article as:

Al-Olayan M. Ebtesam, El-Khadragy F. Manal, Omer A. Sawsan, Shata T.M. Mohamed, Kassab B. Rami and Abdel Moneim E. Ahmed, The beneficial effect of Cape gooseberry juice on carbon tetrachloride-induced neuronal damage, CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets 2016; 15 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871527314666150821112051