Histological and Immunohistochemical Changes in the Hippocampus of the Adult Male Albino Rats Treated with Amethopterin and the Possible Protective Role of Moringa Leaves Extract

Background: Amethopterin (AMP) is a chemotherapeutic drug used to treat many types of cancer like lung and breast cancers.
Aim of work: This study was done to detect the ameliorating effects of Moringa leaves extract (MLE) against AMP induced hippocampus damage.
Material and Methods: Fifty adult male albino rats were used. They were divided into equal five groups. The 1st group provided with water and food ad libitum. The 2nd group received MLE orally (300 mg/kg b w) twice a week. The 3rd group was injected intraperitoneal with AMP (0.5mg/kg b w) twice a week for four weeks. The 4th group was administrated AMP and MLE at the same timeline. The 5th group was given MLE after four weeks of AMP treatment. By the end of the experiment, the rats were anaesthetized; their brains were dissected and processed for histological and immunohistochemical examination.
Results: Histological examination of the brain exhibited the normal structure of the hippocampus in the 1st and 2nd groups. Hippocampus of the 3rd group showed severe damaged neurons, degeneration of pyramidal cells and vacuolated astrocytes. On the other hand, hippocampus of the 4th group revealed a moderate degree of tissue changes while a good degree of improvement with more or less normal neuronal structure was seen in the 5th group. The intensity of expression of apoptotic protein P53 on hippocampus sections of the 3rd group was strongly positive when compared to the control group. A moderate-strong positive expression was detected in the 4th group while mild-moderate positive expressions in the 5th group.
Conclusion: The present study confirms the possible protective role of MLE against the degenerative changes caused by amethopetrin.