The Effects of Gum arabic, Curcumin (Curcuma longa) and Garcinia kola on the Rat Hippocampus after Electromagnetic Field Exposure

Abstract

Overview

The study evaluates the potential effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF), emitted by mobile phones, on hippocampal pyramidal neurons in rats. It also explores how curcumin (Cur), Garcinia kola (GK), and Gum arabic (GA) can mitigate these adverse outcomes.

Methodology

The experiment involved fifty-four 12-week-old male Wistar albino rats, divided into nine groups of six. Four groups, including control (unexposed to EMF) and those treated with Cur, GK, and GA individually, were not exposed to EMF. The sham group was placed in an EMF exposure system without actual exposure. The remaining groups were exposed to 900MHz EMF for one hour daily over 28 days and treated simultaneously with either Cur, GK, GA, or no treatment.

Findings

• Significant activity levels of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed in the EMF-exposed group compared to the control.
• Microscopic examinations demonstrated damaging alterations in neuronal structures within the EMF exposed group, including dark-colored nuclei and unclear neuron boundaries.
• Stereological data highlighted a significant reduction in the total number of CA's pyramidal neurons in the EMF exposed group versus control and sham groups.
• Treatments with Cur and GK significantly shielded against EMF-induced neuronal damage, whereas GA showed no protective effect.

Conclusion

Exposure to 900MHz EMF leads to substantial detrimental changes in the structure and number of hippocampal pyramidal neurons in rats. Cur and GK effectively offer neuroprotection against these harmful impacts; however, GA does not exhibit any protective functionality.