Morus mesozygia leaf extract ameliorates behavioral deficits, oxidative stress and inflammation in Complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2022-06, Vol.292, p.115202-115202, Article 115202
• Main Authors: Ariyo, Oluwakemi O., Ajayi, Abayomi M., Ben-Azu, Benneth, Aderibigbe, Adegbuyi O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Arthritis, Experimental - chemically induced; Arthritis, Experimental - drug therapy; Arthritis, Experimental - metabolism; Complete Freund’s-adjuvant; COX-2; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Ethylacetate fraction; Freund's Adjuvant; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - drug therapy; Inflammation - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Male; Moraceae; Morus; Morus mesozygia; NF-kappa B - metabolism; NFκB; Oxidative Stress; Peroxidase - metabolism; Plant Extracts - adverse effects; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115202

Morus mesozygia Stapf (Moraceae), otherwise referred to as African mulberry, is utilized domestically as a remedy for a variety of inflammatory disorders including rheumatism. The anti-arthritic effect of the ethylacetate fraction of M. mesozygia leaf extract (EAFMm) was assessed on complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis in male Wistar rats. Groups of male Wistar rats were injected with CFA (0.2 mL; 10 mg/mL) in the plantar surface of their right hind paws and treated orally with EAFMm (50 and 100 mg/kg) or its vehicle daily for 28 days. The effect on joint inflammation and mechanical nociception threshold, behavioral deficits (spontaneous motor activity in the open field test and depressive-like symptoms in the forced swim test) was evaluated. The levels and activities of the biomarkers of oxidative-nitrosative stress (reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, nitrite, and malondialdehyde) and inflammatory markers [TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, NFκB and myeloperoxidase] were also analysed. The EAFMm at the doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg produced a dose dependent reduction in joint inflammation and mechanical hyperalgesia, and as well improved behavioral deficits like spontaneous motor activity and depressive-like behavior. The EAFMm also significantly reduced oxido-nitrosative stress response in the joint and brain tissues. It also decreased TNF-α, interleukin-6 levels and myeloperoxidase enzyme activities in joints and brain tissues of rats. Furthermore, EAFMm attenuated the activity of NFκB and reduced the cyclooxygenase −2 protein expression level in joint tissues. The ethylacetate fraction of Morus mesozygia leaf extract demonstrated anti-arthritic activity and ameliorated co-morbid depressive-like behavior via inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation in a rat model of arthritis. [Display omitted]