Protective Effects Of Pelargonium Graveolens Essential Oil On Methomyl-Induced Oxidative Stress And Spatial Working Memory Impairment In Association With Histopathological Changes In The Hippocampus Of Male Wistar Rats

Introduction: Methomyl (MET) is a carbamate insecticide, used in agriculture and public health to eliminate harmful insects. Besides its advantages in agriculture, it causes neurotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of MET on Spatial Working Memory (SWM), oxidative stress parameters, and histopathological changes in the hippocampus, as well as the possible protective role of Pelargonium graveolens Essential Oil (EO). Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomized into four groups of six animals: group I as the control that received the vehicle; group II received EO (75 mg/kg b.w), group III received MET (2 mg/kg b.w); and group IV received both MET and EO. The rats were administered the respective doses orally by gavage for 28 days. SWM was assessed using Y-maze on the day before the first treatment and day 28 after the last dose. They were sacrificed by decapitation and their brains were taken for assessing oxidative stress parameters and histopathological analysis. Results: MET treatment caused SWM deficits. Furthermore, drastic changes were observed in aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase activities. The level of malondialdehyde significantly increased, whereas antioxidant (glutathione-S-transferase and catalase) enzyme activities significantly decreased. The CA1 region of the hippocampus of rats exposed to MET revealed severe histological alterations. However, supplementation with EO improved SWM and partially restored the activities of antioxidant systems and prevented neuronal cell damage. Conclusion: P. graveolens EO has the potential in mitigating most of the adverse effects in the hippocampus and prevents SWM impairment induced by MET toxicity.HighlightsMethomyl-induced oxidative stress and histopathology in brain particularly hippocampus associated with impairment in spatial working memory.P.graveolens EO protected the hippocampus against the oxidative damage and histopathological changes induced by the methomyl.P.graveolens EO ameliorated methomyl-induced spatial working memory impairment.Plain Language SummaryExposure to pesticides poses a continuous health hazard. Among potential risk factors, pesticides are suspected of having neurotoxic effects. Methomyl is a carbamate pesticide widely used in agriculture. Studies showed considerable associations between methomyl exposure and severe damage in the brain, hepatic, kidney, and spleen tissues. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of methomyl in oxidative stress biomarkers, histopathological features of the hippocampus and to evaluate spatial memory performance as well as the possible neuroprotective role of Pelargonium graveolens EO. The results of this study showed that exposure to methomyl enhances oxidative stress, leading to an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants and histopathological changes in the hippocampus associated with spatial working memory deficits. P.graveolens EO cotreatment prevented hippocampus against oxidative damage and histopathological changes and ameliorate memory deficits. P.graveolens EO has demonstrated antioxidants, antiinflammatory, and antibacterial properties, used as a food aromatizing hydrosol. EO of P. graveolens by virtue of its effective antioxidant actions have the ability to protect the hippocampus towards the adverse effects caused by methomyl through reduction of oxidative damage and memory improvement.