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Advanced Neurology Tetrapleura tetraptera protects the hippocampus

PTZ group demonstrated disintegrated and dispersed its neuroprotective properties, may explain the intensity
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Nissl substance, which appeared slightly less stained, of NSE expression observed in this group. T. tetraptera
indicating PTZ toxicity. This observation aligns with a has also been reported to have neuroprotective effects,
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previous report. The cellular population in the Nissl- likely due to its rich phytochemicals, as demonstrated
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stained pyramidal and other cell types was not significantly in the present study. T. tetraptera may exert its effect by
different in the PTZ group compared to the control, influencing ionotropic GABA receptors and inhibiting
suggesting that the cellular population was not adversely acetylcholinesterase, thereby increasing GABA levels
affected, and no immediate loss of protein synthesis while antagonizing N-methyl-D-aspartate. 66,67,70 This
function occurred. neuroprotective effect of T. tetraptera corroborates
findings from another study, which reported similar
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On the other hand, the T. tetraptera-alone group
demonstrated high Nissl stain intensity in most pyramidal effects of Moringa oleifera, a plant containing comparable
phytochemicals, on this glycolytic enzyme.
neurons, while no apparent difference was observed in
the sodium valproate, pre-treated group or in the low-, In the low-dose T. tetraptera group, there was increased
intermediate-, and high-dose T. tetraptera groups. These intensity of NSE expression, although the number of NSE-
observations indicate that Nissl substance distribution positive pyramidal cells did not significantly differ from
was not adversely affected. A previous report suggests that the control. This observation suggests increased neuronal
sodium valproate provides neuroprotection, which may activity in this group. Given that the NSE-positive cell
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explain the current results in this drug-pre-treated group. population was not significantly altered, it may indicate a
The findings in the T. tetraptera-pre-treatment groups non-adverse effect of the T. tetraptera pre-treatment.
may be attributed to its rich phytochemical composition, Astrocytes are glial cells found in the hippocampus, as
which is known to offer neuroprotective benefits. 66,67 The well as in other regions of the brain. They can be identified
cellular population in the Nissl-stained pyramidal and immunohistochemically through the expression of GFAP,
other cell types was not significantly different in these test an intermediate filament protein that provides mechanical
groups compared to the control, further indicating that the strength to astrocytes. Increased GFAP expression
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cellular populations remained unaffected. indicates astrocyte activation. In the present study, the
Neurons can also be identified immunohistochemically PTZ group showed a slight decrease in GFAP expression
by their expression of, or immunoreactivity to, anti-NSE. in the CA3 region of the hippocampus compared to the
This anti-NSE binds to NSE, a cytoplasmic glycolytic control, which may indicate neurotoxicity, although the
enzyme, and its reactivity reflects the metabolic state of the difference in population was not statistically significant.
neurons. Increased NSE expression suggests high metabolic Following injury and astrogliosis, GFAP is typically
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activity. In the present study, there was increased intensity expressed at much higher levels, which contrasts with the
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of NSE expression in the hippocampus of the PTZ group, findings in the present study. Decreased GFAP expression
with the population of NSE-positive cells significantly is also commonly reported in neurodegenerative or other
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lower compared to the control. This observation indicates detrimental conditions, which may have been the case in
increased neuronal activity, potentially accompanied by the present study.
injury to the hippocampal neurons. In response to injury, The CA3 regions of the hippocampus in the T. tetraptera
NSE expression and activity are markedly upregulated, group showed a similar GFAP expression to the control,
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and neurotoxic agents have been associated with increased although with a significantly smaller population. This
NSE expression. Increased NSE levels may result from observation suggests little to no adverse effect from the
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dysfunction in neuronal metabolic activity and synaptic plant, as previously reported in the study. The CA3 regions
connections, which may have been induced by PTZ. of the hippocampus in the sodium valproate, and low,

Decreased intensity of NSE expression was observed in intermediate, and high doses of T. tetraptera-pretreatment
the hippocampus of the sodium valproate, intermediate, groups exhibited decreased GFAP expression, with a
and high-dose T. tetraptera-pretreated groups compared to significantly smaller (p<0.05) population. These findings
the control group. Although the number of NSE-positive may indicate a protective effect, as these pre-treated
pyramidal cells was not significantly different in the sodium substances are known to offer neuroprotection. In this
valproate pre-treated group, it was significantly lower in context, decreased GFAP expression could be due to either
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the intermediate- and high-dose T. tetraptera-pretreated cytoskeletal destabilization or a loss of GFAP antigenicity.
groups compared to the control. These results indicate an The hippocampus, particularly the CA3 region, plays a
increase in neuronal metabolic activity in these groups, key role in cognitive processes such as learning and memory
which may not be harmful. Sodium valproate, known for and is highly susceptible to trauma. Any alteration in the

Volume 4 Issue 1 (2025) 89 doi: 10.36922/an.6862