Effects of oral ingestion of hyoscyamine from Daturastramonium seeds on the hippocampus in adult Wistar rats (Rattusnorvegicus)

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral ingestion of hyoscyamine fraction of Daturastramonium seeds on the hippocampus in adult Wistar rats. Fresh seeds of D. stramonium were procured and fractionated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Twenty-four healthy adult Wistar rats weighed 230±0.50 grams, were procured and divided equally into four groups for the experiment. The group one received an equivalent bodyweight of normal saline, while three other groups received 200, 400 and 800 mg/kgbwt of hyoscyamine fraction of D. stramonium respectively for three weeks. At the end of the experiment, the animals were subjected to memory test using Morris water maze (MWM) and Novel object recognition test (NORT) test paradigms. The data obtained were expressed as mean ± SEM and repeated measures ANOVA with Fisher’s multiple comparisons post-hoc tests were used to obtain mean differences using Minitab 17 (LLC., U.K.) statistical package software. P < 0.05  was considered statistically significant. There was a statistically significant increase in the exploration time (p = 0.031) and escape latency period (p < 0.001) in the novel object recognition and Morris water maze test between the groups in the treated compared to the control group. The CA3 region of the treated group showed significant neuronal lesions, cytoplasmic vacuolations, pyknosis and necrosis. . In conclusion, exposure to hyoscyamine fraction of D.stramonium at adulthood impaired memory in Wistar rats.