Pedalium murex Linn leaves against LPS-induced oxidative stress, anxiety and depression behavioural alterations in rats

Studies of antioxidant substances in foods and natural products have gained increasing interest. The prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases are increasing globally. Effective treatment is necessary to minimize the neuronal damage and oxidative stress. Traditional medicines offer potent pharmacological activity with minimal side effects compared to synthetic drugs to treat such chronic disorders.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of ethanol extract of Pedalium murex Linn. (EEPM) leaves against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia.

Neurodegeneration was induced in rats with a single intraperitoneal injection of LPS (1 mg/kg). The neuroprotective activity was investigated following LPS-induced endotoxemia and then subjecting the animals to a battery of behavioural tests such as open field test (OFT), elevated plus-maze (EPM) and forced swim test (FST) to test anxiety and depression. At the end of the study, rats were sacrificed, brain hippocampal region was isolated and biochemical parameters were analysed.

These results highlight the neuroprotective potential of EEPM in LPSinduced anxiety and depressive illness model which may be partially due to inhibition of oxidative stressneuroinflammatory cascade.

The present study proved that EEPM has promising anti-anxiety, antidepressant action and can be potential candidates for the management of LPS-induced neurodegeneration.