POST NATAL EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF SOYBEANS (Glycine max) ON THE CEREBRUM AND HIPPOCAMPAL CA1 OF JUVENILE WISTAR RAT

Abstract

In recent years, growing attention has been paid to the impacts of plants consumption during pregnancy on an individual’s growth and health. Plants based antioxidants, such as flavonoids and polyphenols offer neuroprotective benefits by lowering inflammation and oxidative stress in brain. For many years, Glycine max and its component have been used tradomedically, possessing anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative, and anti-inflammatory properties. Accordingly, this study is aimed at investigating the postnatal effect of aqueous extract of Glycine max on the development of cerebrum and hippocampal CA1 of juvenile Wistar rats. In this study, eighteen juvenile Wistar rats with an average weight of 60g were used. They were divided into three groups. Group A served as control group. Group B and Group C animals were offspring of dams treated with 250mg/kg BW and 500mg/kg BW of extract respectively. Administration lasted for twenty-one days. On postnatal day forty-two, neurobehavioural activities were evaluated. The rats were sacrificed afterwards and antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation were evaluated. Routine haematoxylin and eosin staining techniques were utilized to evaluate the cytoarchitectural changes in the cerebrum and hippocampus of the experimental animals. Findings from the study showed that Glycine max is a rich source of nutrients as was evident in the presence of phytochemicals such as saponins, and flavonoids. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in PN weight, spontaneous alternations, discrimination index, open arm and total arm entries of treated groups when compared to the control. Also, there was significant decrease (p<0.05) in closed arm entries and open/closed arm quotient, SOD and CAT enzyme activity in 500mg/kg BW treated rats when compared to the control. However, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in brain weight of treated groups and in SOD activity but a significant increase (p<0.05) in CAT enzyme activity in 250mg/kg BW treated rats when compared to the control. Both treated groups showed significant decrease in MDA concentrations. Treated groups showed the same cerebral histological features found in control group. Hippocampal CA1 of treated groups showed less populated, less intensely stained pyramidal cells in the stratum pyramidale when compared to the control. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that low dose of 250mg/kg have a better effect on the development of the cerebrum and hippocampus