Sausage tree (Kigelia africana) flavonoid extract is neuroprotective in AlCl3-induced experimental Alzheimer's disease

John Adeolu Falode; Afolabi C Akinmoladun; M Tolulope Olaleye; Afolabi A Akindahunsi

doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2017.06.001

Sausage tree (Kigelia africana) flavonoid extract is neuroprotective in AlCl₃-induced experimental Alzheimer's disease

Pathophysiology. 2017 Dec;24(4):251-259. doi: 10.1016/j.pathophys.2017.06.001. Epub 2017 Jun 28.

Authors

John Adeolu Falode¹, Afolabi C Akinmoladun², M Tolulope Olaleye², Afolabi A Akindahunsi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, School of Sciences, The Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. Electronic address: john4favour03@yahoo.com.
² Department of Biochemistry, School of Sciences, The Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria.

PMID: 28697918
DOI: 10.1016/j.pathophys.2017.06.001

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a developmental neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no effective treatment or cure at present. In this study, the neuroprotective properties of a methanol extract of the leaves of Kigelia africana (KAE) and its flavonoid-rich fraction (FKAE) in aluminum chloride (AlCl₃)-induced experimental AD was evaluated. Symptoms mimicking AD were induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by administering 17mg/kg AlCl₃, orally, for six consecutive weeks. Pretreatment of animals with 50 and 100mg/kg KAE or FKAE for two weeks, followed by their co-administration with AlCl₃ for a further four weeks ameliorated neurological deficits, cerebral oxidative stress, neurochemical disturbances and histoarchitectural alterations caused by AlCl₃ intoxication. The results suggest that KAE and FKAE are promising therapeutic agents for AD.

Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Alzheimer’s disease; Butyrylcholinesterase; Flavonoid-rich fraction; Kigelia africana; Oxidative stress.