Antioxidative Potential of Telfairia occidentalis Aqueous Leaves Extract in Mitigating Cyclophosphamide-Induced Neurotoxicity in Wistar Rats

Aim: This study sought to investigate the antioxidative potentials of Telfairia occidentalis aqueous leaves extract (TOAE) on cyclophosphamide (CP) induced neurotoxicity in rats.

Study Design: This study sought to investigate the antioxidative potentials of Telfairia occidentalis aqueous leaf extract (TOAE) on cyclophosphamide induced neurotoxicity in rats.

Place and duration of the study: This study was carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria between October, 2023 and September, 2024

Methods: 25 Adult wistar rats were assigned into five different groups I-V of (n=5) which were respectively exposed for 14 days as follow to Normal saline, TOAE only (400 mg/kg b.w), 400 mg/kg b.w TOAE with single dose of 100 mg/kg CP on 14th day, single dose 100 mg/kg CP only on day 1 and single dose of 100 mg/kg CP only on day 1 followed by 400 mg/kg b.w of TOAE for 14 days. CP was administered intraperitoneally and TOAE was administered orally. All the animals were sacrificed at the end of designated exposure and processed for biochemical evaluations using standard protocols.

Results: CP mediated inflammation in cerebellum of rats with a significant increase in MDA, CAT, IL-1β and TNF-α significant decrease in SOD and Gpx levels compared with a control group. Lipid peroxidation was also induced following exposure of rats to CP. There is a marked decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities in CP group. However, treatment with TOAE markedly inhibited the inflammation by reversing the elevated levels of inflammatory markers. Furthermore, TOAE suppressed the lipid peroxidation chain reaction by reducing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase CAT. TOAE attenuates CP-induced oxidative stress by increase the level of GPx and superoxide dismutase enhancing the activities of the cytoprotective enzymes (catalase and glutathione-S- transferase). Serum levels of Interleukin-2/1-beta and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), were measured on the 15th day after exposure. The effect of TOAE was deduced on anti-inflammatory and antioxidants properties. Taken together, TOAE inhibited inflammation, suppressed lipid peroxidation, attenuated oxidative stress, and enhanced the antioxidant enzymes activities.

Conclusion: These therapeutic effects of TOAE might be due to its phytochemicals. The findings of this study indicate that aqueous leaf extract of T. occidentalis has could be a drug candidate for the treatment of the immunosuppressive effect of cyclophosphamide on neurotoxicity.