THE EFFECTS OF TEA PREPARED FROM DRIED COLORADO ON THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND CEREBELLUM OF ADULT SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

Colorado, commonly marketed under names such as “Colorado,” have emerged as potent psychoactive substances with unpredictable neurotoxic effects. This study investigated the effects of tea prepared from dried Colorado on the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group A control, Group B 1.5mg/kg of Colorado, Group C 3.0mg/kg of Colorado, and Group D 6.0mg/kg of Colorado. The animals were orally administered the Colorado tea for 21 days. Body weight, behavioral studies (t-maze and walking beam) was used to assess neurobehavior. Oxidative stress markers; GSH, SOD, CAT and MDA were assessed, brain tissues were excised for histological evaluation of the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. Results revealed dose-dependent alterations in body weight with decrease in the weights of the treated groups. There was a progressive decline in the neurobehavior of the treated rats, the control Group A in t-maze showed higher number of arm entries and alternations while the treated groups showed lower number of arm entries and alternation with increasing dose of Colorado, the control group for walking beam showed lower latency to cross and foot slips while the treated groups showed higher latency to cross and foot slips with increasing doses of Colorado. GSH, SOD, CAT of the treated groups had decreased while MDA increased. The prefrontal cortex of treated groups showed evidence of neuronal degeneration, disrupted pyramidal cell layers, and vacuolation compared to the control group. Similarly, the cerebellum exhibited Purkinje cell loss, reduced granule cell density, and signs of neuroinflammation in the higher dose groups. These structural disruptions are indicative of impaired neurocognitive and motor coordination functions. The findings suggest that consumption of Colorado poses significant neurotoxic risks, with potential implications for cognitive processing, decision-making, and motor control.. It further underscores the importance of public health interventions, regulatory control, and increased awareness of the dangers associated with Colorado use.