Protective effect of Zizyphus lotus jujube fruits against cypermethrin-induced oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in mice.

CONTEXT: Cypermethrin (CYP) is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used worldwide in agriculture, home pest control. The toxicity of CYP is well studied in many organisms.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of present study was to investigate the protective effect of Zizyphus lotus (Zizyp) fruit against neurotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by CYP in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were divided into four groups of six each: groups I and II were used as control and CYP control (20 mg/kg body weight). While, groups III was orally treated with Zizyphus lotus fruit (5 g/kg body weight) plus CYP (20 mg/kg body weight) for 18 days. Furthermore, HPLC-ESI-MS-MS (Q-Tof) and GC-MS were used to identify the compounds fraction.

RESULTS: Antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT), neurotoxicity enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in the liver, kidney and heart. CYP caused decreased CAT activity, inhibition of AChE activity and increased the levels of H2 O2 and MDA in heart, liver and kidney.

CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that Zizyp fruit is markedly effective in protecting mice against CYP-induced biochemical changes. This protection may be due to its antioxidant property and scavenging ability against active free radicals.