NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MORUS NIGRA L. (MULBERRY) FRUIT EXTRACT ON ACRYLAMIDE – INDUCED DANIO RERIO (ZEBRAFISH)

In the current scenario, high concentrations of acrylamide (ACR), a water-soluble vinyl monomer, which is used industrially and also found in thermally processed carbohydrate-rich foods, poses serious health risks to humans. Oxidative stress is an important mediator of central and peripheral neurotoxicity, which is one of the most recognized toxicological effects of high concentration acrylamide exposure in humans and experimental animals. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of Morus nigra fruit extract against acrylamide induced neurotoxicity modeled in Danio rerio (Zebrafish). Mulberry fruit is rich in mostly polyphenolic compounds such as anthocyanins and flavonoids. Forty zebrafishes were randomized into three experimental groups, (I) normal control group, (II) 0.75mM ACR treated group and (III) post ACR fruit extract-treated group. Upon completion of 72 h of ACR-exposure, a few exposed fishes were randomly selected for treatment with the fruit extract. In the ACR-treated group, a significant elevation in lipid peroxidation with concomitant depletion in the activities of catalase, glutathione reductase and acetylcholinesterase were observed in the zebrafish brain. Therapy with mulberry fruit extract post-ACR exposure showed a protective effect by the restoration of catalase, glutathione reductase, and acetylcholinesterase activities to values comparable to that of the control group. A remarkable reduction in the lipid peroxidation levels was also observed. The neuroprotective effect of the extract in the current study is suggestive of inhibition of oxidative stress in the zebrafish brain owing to the potent antioxidant properties of mulberry.