Morphological and Biochemical Effects of Aqueous Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaf on Cobalt Chloride-Induced Cerebral Damage in Adult Wistar Rats

Cobalt induces hypoxia in the brain which leads to oxygen deprivation resulting in cognitive disturbance and decreased motor control. This study evaluated the effect of Moringa oleifera extract on the cobalt chloride-induced cerebral cortex of adult male wistar rats.

40 male wistar rats weighing (90 ± 120g) were used for the study and they were divided into 5 groups with each group containing 8 rats. Group A served as control which received distilled water, Group B was treated orally with Cobalt chloride at dose 45 mg/kg, Group C received cobalt chloride 45 mg/kg + low dose of Moringa oleifera extract 250 mg/kg for 52 days, Group D treated with cobalt chloride 45 mg/kg + high dose of Moringa oleifera extract 500 mg/kg and Group E treated with 500 mg/kg Moringa oleifera extract only and rats were sacrificed on the 53rd day by cervical dislocation. The brain of each rat was removed and weighed before half was fixed in formol calcium for histological analysis and the second half was used for oxidative stress parameters. The mean body weight of the wistar rats in group C and E increased significantly (P <0.05) while it decreased significantly (P <0.05) in group D. The biochemical analysis shows a significant increase (P<0.05) in the level of MDA in group B and a significant decrease (P<0.05) in group E. additionally, NO level shows a significant increase (P<0.05) in group B compared with control. SDH activity decreased significantly in group C, D, and E. Microscopic examination of the cerebral cortex in group B, C and D showed degenerative changes compared with normal histological features in A and E.

The study concluded that cobalt chloride induced cerebral cortical damage while administration of Moringa oleifera extract attenuated the toxic effect of cobalt chloride in wistar rats.