Abstract

Herbal medicine provides neuroprotective functions for different brain disorders, and Trichosanthes cucumerina leaf extracts may provide neuroprotective function on the cerebellum. Evaluation of the neuroprotective potential of Trichosanthes cucumerina (TC) on the cerebellum is carried out. A total of thirty-two (32) adult rats with an average weight of 200g are being used to determine the effect of methanolic extract of Trichosanthes cucumerina leaf on the cerebellum for a period of twenty-eight (28) days. The rats are divided into 4 groups (A-D) with eight rats in each group. Group A animals receive feed and distilled water and serve as control. The animals in group B, C and group D receive 200mg/kgBW, 400mg/kgBW and 600mg/kgBW of methanolic extract of Trichosanthes cucumerina leaf respectively. 24hours after the last administration of the leaf extract, the animals are sacrificed using chloroform inhalation method. The cerebellum is harvested and fixed in 10% formalin. After fixation, the animals are passed through several stages of tissue processing which comprises dehydration, wax impregnation, embedding and sectioning. The sections are taken at 5µ and haematoxylin and eosin staining method is employed for the histological demonstration of the cerebellum. Microscopy and histochemical data of methanolic extract of T. cucumerina leaf show no adverse histopathological change in cerebellum of all treated groups of rats as they retain their normal cytoarchitecture when compared to the control group. The presence of biologically active phytochemicals including Cucurbitacin in Trichosanthes cucumerina may provide neuroprotective functions especially since the dosage given in the different treatments probably crossed the blood brain barrier and did not produce any pathological effect.

Keywords: Cerebellum; Histopathology; Neuroprotection; Trichosanthes cucumerina; Rats