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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Neuroprotective effects of Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit extract on hippocampal histological features in pentylenetetrazol-induced kindling in Wistar rats

Clementina F. Iniodu1 ,  Gabriel J. Ekandem1 ,  Moses B. Ekong1*
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1 Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria
Advanced Neurology 2025, 4(1), 80–93; https://doi.org/10.36922/an.6862
Submitted: 3 December 2024 | Revised: 31 December 2024 | Accepted: 15 January 2025 | Published: 31 January 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Seizures are a hallmark of epilepsy and often lead to cognitive impairment. However, most antiepileptic medications have limited efficacy in this context and are associated with negative consequences with prolonged use. Tetrapleura tetraptera, an antioxidant-rich plant known for its anticonvulsant properties, prompted this study to examine its role in hippocampal protection after pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling. Phytochemical screening and median lethal dose assessments of the T. tetraptera fruit extract (TFE) were conducted. Forty-nine male Wistar rats (150 – 200 g, n=7 per group) were assigned as follows: Control, TFE (500 mg/kg), PTZ alone (40 mg/kg), and PTZ (40 mg/kg) following sodium valproate (200 mg/kg) or TFE at low (250 mg/kg), intermediate (500 mg/kg), and high (1,000 mg/kg) doses over 21 alternate days. PTZ was administered intraperitoneally, while all other treatments were given orally. On day 22, spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB) was assessed, followed by euthanasia and histological analyses. Phytochemical analysis of TFE identified phenols, alkaloids, and flavonoids as key constituents, and its oral median lethal dose was greater than 5,000 mg/kg. Pre-treatment with TFE showed suppressed seizures with quantal protection (p<0.05) compared to the PTZ group. While SAB was not significantly different, hippocampal Nissl expression was mildly affected, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE)-positive cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared with the control group. Therefore, oral administration of TFE is safe in Wistar rats with protection against PTZ-induced seizure and mortality. While short-term memory remained unaffected, the hippocampal Nissl substance, NSE, and GFAP were preserved, particularly in the low and intermediate TFE dose groups.

Keywords
Hippocampus
Pentylenetetrazol
Tetrapleura tetraptera
Sodium valproate
Immunohistochemistry
Nissl substance
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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