Effects of Launaea taraxacifolia (Wild Lettuce) Aqueous Extract in Cadmium Chloride-Induced Alzheimer?s Disease-Like Neurodegeneration in Male Wistar Rats

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@article{1711718,
      author = {Esther Oluwadamilola Adejola, Toluwase Solomon Olawuyi, Grace Temitope Akingbade},
      title = {Effects of Launaea taraxacifolia (Wild Lettuce) Aqueous Extract in Cadmium Chloride-Induced Alzheimer?s Disease-Like Neurodegeneration in Male Wistar Rats},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2025},
      volume = {9},
      number = {5},
      pages = {65-74},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1711718.pdf},
      abstract = {Alzheimer?s disease (AD), characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction, continues to pose significant treatment hurdles, particularly when environmental neurotoxins like cadmium trigger or exacerbate the condition. Launaea taraxacifolia, a medicinal plant with known antioxidant property, may offer therapeutic potential against cadmium chloride-induced Alzheimer?s disease-like neurodegeneration. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of Launaea taraxacifolia aqueous extract in mitigating cadmium chloride-induced Alzheimer?s disease-like neurodegeneration in male wistar rats. This study used thirty-two (32) adult male wistar rats. There were four groups of eight rats each. For 21 days, Group I were given distilled water orally; Group II were given 5 mg/kg of CdCl2 orally; Group III were given 400 mg/kg of LTAE orally; and Group IV were given 5 mg/kg of CdCl2, followed by 400 mg/kg of LTAE orally. CdCl2 caused a significant decrease (p<0.05) in neurobehavioural parameters (Y maze and open field), revealed alteration of the neuronal cytoarchitecture (neuronal loss and neurofibrillary tangles) of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, respectively. Similarly, co-administration of LTAE with CdCl2 inhibited cadmium chloride-induced Alzheimer?s disease-like neurodegeneration by reversing the altered microanatomy of the cerebral and hippocampus of rat, and changes in neurobehavioural parameters. It is concluded that LTAE effectively ameliorates Alzheimer?s disease-like neurodegeneration following CdCl2 treatment and maybe a therapeutic strategy against the neurological consequences of CdCl2 overexposure.},
      keywords = { Alzheimer?s disease, Cadmium Chloride, Neurodegeneration, Launaea taraxacifolia, Cresyl fast violet staining.},
      month = {November},
  }