Protective Effects of Curcumin against Acetamiprid-Induced Neurotoxicity in Male Albino Rats

Environmental contaminants such as industrial and household chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, and ionizing radiation are the primary causes of oxidative stress. Acetamiprid (ACMP) is a pesticide, belongs to the neonicotinoid family. Curcumin (Cur) is a brilliant yellow chemical component found in turmeric root which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor characteristics. It has been widely utilized to treat or prevent neurological illnesses as both a herbal medication and a food additive. The main goal of this study is to examine the protective role of curcumin (100 mg/kg body weight) on the neurotoxicity caused by an environmental contaminant, acetamiprid (20 mg/kg body weight). We used five groups of male albinos rats: each with six animals. The first was a control group (saline 0.9%), the second was a vehicle group (DMSO 33%), the third was a curcumin group, the fourth group was given an acetamiprid only, and the fifth was given both curcumin and acetamiprid. The considerable reduction in the levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) in the brain cortex, as well as the reduction in dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, indicating that acetamiprid has an overall pro-oxidant effect. On the other hand, we noticed a rise in lipid peroxidation (LPO), and DNA fragmentation, in the cerebral cortex. Our findings revealed that oral curcumin supplementation improved biochemical parameters in brain of rats treated with acetamiprid. We conclude that curcumin may play a role as effective antioxidant in reducing the imbalance between the formation of free radicals, and the body’s antioxidant systems, that result in reducing the severity of oxidative stress induced by acetamiprid.