NEUROBEHAVIORAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE MOOD- MODULATING EFFECTS OF GINKGO BILOBA IN MANGANESE-EXPOSED RODENTS
Abstract
Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression are complex psychiatric conditions that significantly impact quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests that environmental neurotoxins like manganese contribute to the development of these disorders through mechanisms involving oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neurotransmitter dysregulation. Ginkgo biloba possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties and has shown promise in improving mood function. However, its potential therapeutic role in mitigating Mn-induced mood disturbances remains underexplored. This study aims to evaluate the anxiolytic and neuroprotective potential of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract in a manganese-exposed Wistar rat model. Twenty-four (24) adults male Wistar rats were divided into four (4) groups of six (6) animals each. They were subjected to a tail suspension behavioral test and grouped as follows: Group A was the control, receiving feed and distilled water; Group B received manganese to induce mood disorder for four (4) days; Group C received Ginkgo biloba for ten (10) days; and Group D received manganese for four (4) days and Ginkgo biloba for ten (10) days. The animals were sacrificed, and tissue processing, staining, and biochemical analyses were performed on brain homogenates. The results showed that the control and Ginkgo biloba treated groups had a normal distribution of neuronal cells in the amygdala and granular cells of the dentate gyrus, compared to the manganese- treated group, exhibiting degenerated neurons. The Ginkgo biloba treated group showed improved antioxidant enzyme activities and increased levels of neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) compared with the manganese-treated group. This was associated with decreased lipid peroxidation and neuroinflammatory cytokines in the brain. Furthermore, the Ginkgo biloba- treated group demonstrated reduced immobility time compared to the increased immobility time of the manganese-induced group. In conclusion, this study reveals that Ginkgo biloba has the potential to ameliorate manganese-induced mood impairments through its antioxidant, anti- inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties.
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