Abstract:
Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder which is presented with persistent hyperglycemia resulting from impaired insulin secretion, insulin resistance or both. Exposure to mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal, worsens diabetic complications through oxidative stress, inflammation and tissue damage. Medicinal plants rich in bioactive phytochemicals have gained attention as essential therapeutic agents against diabetes and heavy metal toxicity. Chromolaena odorata also known as Siam weed is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antidiabetic properties.
Objective: This study investigated the neurorestorative and antidiabetic effects of Chromolaena odorata leaf extract on cerebellar histoarchitecture in alloxan-induced diabetic rats exposed to mercury chloride.
Methods: Fresh leaves of Chromolaena odorata were collected, authenticated, dried, pulverized and extracted using graded concentrations of ethanol. Phytochemical screening was conducted using standard qualitative methods. Phytochemical screening of the leaf revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols and terpenoids. A total of 36 male Wistar rats used for this study were randomly assigned into 6 Groups (A-F), comprising of 6 rats in each group: Normal control (Group A), received rat chow and water only; negative control (Group B), was induced with diabetes + Hgcl2 without treatment intervention; Standard group (Group C) was also exposed to diabetes + Hgcl2 and was treated with 500mg/kg of metformin for 14 days; whiles experimental groups D,E and F were also exposed to diabetes + Hgcl2 and was treated with Chromolaena odorata leaf extracts at 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg per body weights. Experimental diabetes was induced by administering a single dose of freshly prepared alloxan monohydrate (150mg/kg/body weight) on day one. 72 hours post-diabetes induction, mercury toxicity was induced by administering freshly prepared HgCl? (3mg/kg/body weight daily for 14 days; day 3 – day 17). Treatments with metformin and the extract lasted for 14 days; day 18-31. Fasting blood glucose levels were monitored weekly. At the end of the experimental period (31 days), the animals were humanely sacrificed, cerebellum excised and processed for histological evaluation using H&E stain. Data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test with significance at (P < 0.05).
Results: Group B showed significant weight loss (190 ± 15g) and hyperglycemia (370 ± 32 mg/dl) compared to Group A (295 ± 10 and 95 ± 70) and group C (220 ± 12 and 166 ± 20). Experimental groups (D-F) showed a marked increase in body weights and decrease in blood glucose levels when compared with the untreated group (Group B). Histologically, there was marked Purkinje cell degeneration and cortical disorganization in groups B-F with group B (negative control being the most affected). Treatment with the extract significantly improved glycemic control and restored cerebellar histoarchitecture in a dose-dependent manner, with the 600mg/kg (Group F) showing near-normal cerebellar morphology comparable to metformin treated group (Group C).
Conclusion: Chromolaena odorata leaf extract exhibited significant antihyperglycaemic activity and neurorestorative effects against mercury-aggravated diabetes complications. These effects may be attributed to its rich phytochemical constituents, particularly flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which possess antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties.
Keywords: Chromolaena odorata, cerebellum, cortical disorganization, diabetes mellitus, antihyperglycaemic activity, metformin, oxidative stress
Biography:
Ifeanyichukwu Maxwell Ama is a Lecturer in Anatomy and a Ph.D student specializing in Neuroanatomy in the Department of Anatomy, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. He also serves as a visiting Lecturer at the College of Nursing Sciences, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Afikpo, Ebonyi State. He holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Anatomy and has several years of experience in teaching, research and academic mentorship. His research interests include experimental anatomy, histology, neuroanatomy, toxicology, renal physiology and the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants in disease models. He is committed to advancing biomedical research, mentoring future healthcare professionals and contributing to the growth of anatomical sciences through excellence in teaching, innovative research and scholarly publications.
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