HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF KHAYA SENEGALENSIS FLAVANOIDS ON THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX OF AMITRIPTYLINE INDUCED STROKE ON RATS MODELS.

ABSTRACT Stroke is a major neurological disorder characterized by sudden interruption of cerebral blood flow leading to neuronal injury, neuroinflammation, and structural degeneration of brain tissues. Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, when administered at toxic doses has been reported to induce cerebrovascular impairment, oxidative stress, and neuronal degeneration resembling ischemic stroke pathology in experimental animal models. The search for neuroprotective agents from medicinal plants has therefore gained significant scientific interest. This study investigated the histomorphological effect of Khaya senegalensis flavonoids on the prefrontal cortex of amitriptyline-induced stroke in Wistar rat models. Adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, amitriptyline-induced stroke, and treatment groups administered graded doses of Khaya senegalensis flavonoid extract following induction. Stroke-like neurotoxicity was induced using a neurotoxic dose of amitriptyline, after which treatment was carried out for a specified experimental duration. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed, and the brains were harvested. The prefrontal cortex was carefully dissected, fixed in 10% buffered formalin, processed, and stained using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) technique for histological examination. Histomorphological observations focused on neuronal integrity, cellular arrangement, presence of necrosis, vacuolation, gliosis, and cortical layering. The amitriptyline-induced group showed severe neuronal degeneration characterized by neuronal shrinkage, pyknotic nuclei, cytoplasmic vacuolation, loss of cortical architecture, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Conversely, treatment with Khaya senegalensis flavonoids demonstrated marked neuroprotective effects evidenced by restoration of neuronal architecture, reduced neuronal necrosis, decreased vacuolation, and improved cortical organization. The higher dose group showed near-normal histological appearance comparable to the control. The findings suggest that flavonoids extracted from Khaya senegalensis possess significant neuroprotective and antioxidant properties capable of ameliorating amitriptyline-induced cortical damage. The protective mechanism is likely mediated through free radical scavenging, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and stabilization of neuronal membranes. Therefore, Khaya senegalensis flavonoids may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate for the management of stroke-related neuronal injury.