The present study was designed to investigate the risk of aluminum (Al) exposure on brain neurotransmitters in rats and further to elucidate the potential role of three forms of Salvia officinalis (sage) in alleviating such disturbances. The animals were assigned in eight groups (6 rats each) as follows: normal control; AlCl3 (100 mg/kg BW); three sage (water extract, ethanolic extract and oil) groups and other three groups given AlCl3 in addition to sage in one of the mentioned forms respectively. Rats were administered their respective doses daily for 90 days (6 days a week) except sage oil which was given every other day. The results of the present study exhibited a significant increase in most of the excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters (glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid, serine, glycine, and histidine) contents of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus in Al intoxicated rats with the exception of asparagine which showed a significant decrease compared to the normal control. On the other hand, the inhibitory neurotransmitters; gamma- amino butyric acid (GABA) and taurine indicated a significant reduction and elevation respectively by Al intoxication. Regarding cerebral monoamines, significant declines in serotonin and dopamine concomitant to a significant elevation in of noradrenalin were shown in the same brain regions following Al exposure. Moreover, the results showed also, that the different sage forms, by their antioxidant activity could be able to antagonize Al induced cerebral perturbation of neurotransmitters and consequently can be used as a neuroprotectants by regulating neurotransmission and related functions of the brain in Al intoxication.
Key words: Aluminum neurotoxicity, Alzheime's disease, Salvia officinalis, neurotransmitters, Monoamines
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