2025, Vol. 13, Issue 6, Part C

author(s)
Shivangi N Naik, Sangeetha L Rajbanshi and Sahitya C Pandanaboina

abstract

The main objective of this work was to study the neuroprotective effect of Hibiscus rosa sinensis on ethanol induced behavioral and histopathological changes in albino rats.

Male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 6 each in which the group I (Vehicle control) received 5% tween 80 orally, group II served as disease control received 20% w/v Ethanol 5ml/kg and groups III and IV received Ethanol in addition to ethanolic flower extract of H. rosa siensis at 125mg/kg and 250mg/kg doses respectively and group V received Ethanol in addition to Vitamin E 100 mg/kg orally. At the end of the experiment, behavioral changes and associated histopathological alterations in cerebral cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus of the brain were recorded.

Results and Discussion: H. rosa sinensis flower extract in the dose of 250mg/kg showed significant (P<0.01) increase in locomotor activity and muscle coordination. Rats treated with H. rosa-sinensis flower extract (in the doses of 125mg/kg and 250mg/kg) demonstrated significant improvement in conditioned avoidance response and significant increase (P<0.01) in exploration time of novel object and percentage discrimination (P<0.01) between novel object and familiar object, thus indicating improvement in learning and memory and cognition when compared to ethanol treated group. Histopathological alterations were restored by H. rosa sinensis in the dose of 250mg/kg, suggesting tissue healing by virtue of its antioxidant properties.

Conclusion: Ethanol induced impairment in locomotor activity, muscle coordination and affected learning, memory and cognitive function. The decline in behavioral parameters can be correlated to associated histopathological changes observed in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and hippocampal tissues in the brain of ethanol treated rats. These aberrations were attenuated by H. rosa sinensis flower extract in the dose of 250 mg/kg, thereby establishing its neuroprotective effect.