Novel potential Centella asiatica extract in ameliorating neurotoxicity induced oxidative stress in chronic morphine dependant rat model

Morphine addiction is a serious issue among societies. Due to prolonged used of morphine or any opioids drugs, it may develop tolerance, dependency and addiction. One of the proposed mechanisms that lead to dependency and withdrawal is oxidative stress. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Centella Asiatica [CA] leaf extract against oxidative stress in chronic morphine dependent rats. Morphine with increasing dosage [2.5 mg/kg-50.0 mg/kg] was administered intraperitoneally to positive control group and three treatments groups [n=10] of Sprague Dawley rats for 7 days. Treatment with CA extract [100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg] were given to the three treatment groups for 4 weeks starting after 7 days of morphine administration. Withdrawal symptoms were observed for 30 minutes in day 1,7,14, 21 and 30. The Ventral Tegmental Area [VTA] of rat's brain was dissected and were analyzed for antioxidant [GSH] and oxidant [MDA] activity by using ELISA kit. Withdrawal symptoms were significantly decrease [p<0.05] in treated group compared to the untreated group. In addition, antioxidant ELISA assay also showed treatment group exhibit a significant increase level of GSH [p<0.05] than untreated group while the oxidants [MDA] level showed significantly [p<0.05] decreasing in treated group. This plant has been proven can reduce the withdrawal by increasing the antioxidants level in rat's brain. This can be proved by significantly increase of GSH level and decrease of MDA level in treated group compared with untreated group.