title: Amaranthus paniculatus (Linn.) improves learning after radiation stress.
abstract: Brain is highly susceptible to oxidative damage due to its high utilization of oxygen and rather poorly developed antioxidative defense mechanism. Free radicals formation is greatly augmented during ionizing radiation exposure, which causes damage in cerebellum responsible for locomotor activity. Amaranthus paniculatus (Linn.) having high content of beta-carotene (about 15 mg/100g), ascorbic acid, Vitamin C and folate, may prove efficient antioxidants. To evaluate its antioxidative efficacy, healthy Swiss albino mice from an inbred colony were selected and divided into three groups having equal number of male and female in each group. All of these animals were initially trained in Hebb William's Maze, model D(1). After initial training of 10 days, two groups were supplemented with methanolic extract of A. paniculatus (Linn.) at a dose of 600 and 800 mg/kg bw per day, respectively for 15 days. One group without any treatment served as normal. It has been observed that mice, supplemented with extract took lesser time to reach goal than normal (without any treatment). Furthermore after supplementation of Amaranthus, followed by exposure to 9 Gy of gamma radiation by 60Co beam therapy unit, the survived mice took lesser time to reach to their goals than those without plant extract. Control mice (not supplemented with AE extract) showed continuous decline in their learning performance. Mice of Control group died within 12 days after exposure. Irradiated males try to recover from 10th day onwards but they died up to day 12. But in Experimental mice (AE treated), after initial decline in learning ability after exposure, recovery was noticed and not only this 70% of them survived beyond the observation period. Besides male mice showed faster learning ability as compared to females in all groups. After irradiation too, males took lesser time to reach to goals. Learning in all the groups before exposure has been much faster in between 9 and 15 days. After radiation, however it was followed by a sudden spurt and delayed learning response up to 12 days. Recovery was greater in males than females in treated groups. Recovery was greater in males of 600 mg/kg bw per day than other groups. Learning has been almost at the same level from 14th day onward, which indicates that both the dose levels have been found equally effective.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004, India. armbha@sancharnet.in
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D027721:Amaranthus; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000523:psychology*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D028321:Plant Preparations; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents