NEUROPROTECTIVE EVALUATION OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF DALBERGIA SISSOO IN MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE INDUCED NEUROTOXICITY IN RATS

Neurodegenerative disorders are heterogeneous group of diseases of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves that have many different etiologies. Due to the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of the neurodegenerative diseases, they represent significant medical, social, and financial burden on the society. Dalbergia sissoo (family: Fabaceae) is an Asian deciduous rosewood tree and state tree of Punjab called as Shisham used for aphrodisiac, expectorant, anthelmintic, antipyretic, emesis, ulcers, skin disease, memory enhancer etc. The leaf of extract of D. sissoo having more concentration of flavonoids and its neuroprotective effect in animals is unclear. So this study wasto explore the neuroprotective activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Dalbergia sissoo (ELDS) against chemically induced neurotoxicity in rats. This study was designed with 30 albino wistar rats divides into 5 groups. They were treated for 7 days with glutamate salt followed by ELDS. During treatment physico- pharmacological parameters were recorded, 24hr after experiment i.e on 8^th day antioxidant profile from brain isolate were estimated and histopathology of brain was performed. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) significantly altered animal behavior, oxidative defense (raised levels of LPO, depletion of antioxidant levels), mitochondrial enzymes activity and loss of hippocampus neurons in the brain. Treatment with ELDS significantly attenuated behavioral alterations, oxidative damage, and hippocampus damage in MSG treated rats. So it was suggested that ELDS showed protection against chemical (MSG) induced neurotoxicity in rats. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and estrogenic property of ELDS may be responsible for its neuroprotective action.