2024, Volume 17, Issue 9, pp 856 – 867

Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) derived from melon seed husk ameliorate Ni/Al mixture-mediated cognitive impairment in rats

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Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding authors Orish Ebere Orisakwe African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria Email: orishebere@gmail.com; orish.orisakwe@uniport.edu.ng. Chinna Nneka Orish Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria E-mail: chinna.orish@uniport.edu.ng

Abstract

This study evaluated the protective effects of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) derived from melon seed husk ash against the neurotoxic effects of common environmental pollutants, aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), and their combination in Wistar rats. Ninety-one male Sprague Dawley rats (220–250 g; 6–8 weeks old) were divided into 13 experimental groups. Key findings revealed that exposure to nickel, aluminum, or their combination significantly impaired spatial learning and memory, as evidenced by prolonged latency periods in treated rats. Treatment with SiNPs from melon seed husks reduced these latency periods. Increased Ni and Al levels in the frontal cortex after Ni/Al mixture exposure were mitigated by SiNPs. SiNPs also countered the reduction in iron levels caused by exposure to nickel, aluminum, and the mixture of nickel and aluminum. Moreover, SiNPs ameliorated oxidative stress by reducing MDA levels and increasing antioxidant enzyme activities. SiNPs treatment caused improved nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and reversed elevated Aβ-42 and cyclooxygenase-2 levels, highlighting their potential neuroprotective effects. Our results demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of SiNPs from melon seed husks by attenuating metal-induced oxidative stress and inflammation, though they did not enhance cortical cholinergic activity in rats.

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About this article

PMC ID: 11611061
PubMed ID: 
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2024-0019

Article Publishing Date (print): 9 2024
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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