Abstract

Protective Role of Propolis on Mercuric Chloride Induced Neurotoxicity in Rats

Author(s): Muthukumaran P, John Dar M, Imran Dar A and Kalaiyarasan

This study quantified the protective role of propolis on mercuric chloride induced neurotoxicity in the brain tissue of rats, Rattus norvegicus. Mercury poisoning induced oxidative stress leading to generation of free radicals and simultaneous alterations in antioxidant mechanism in animals. In the present research, the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) was increased in the brain tissue of rats at sub-lethal dose of mercuric chloride (2mg/kg body wt.) treatment for 30 days; and simultaneously decreased level of glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents were also noticed in the mercury intoxicated brain tissue. During the recovery period an altered level of antioxidant status was restored to near normal level in the brain tissue of mercury intoxicated animal, when treated with propolis (200 mg/ kg body wt.) for another 15 days. Stastical significance was evaluated usingANOVA followed by Duncan Multible Range Test (DMRT). The analysis of the results showed that the Propolis play a vital role to detoxify mercury toxicant in the mercury intoxicated animals.