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Impacts of Egyptian propolis extract on rat cerebellum intoxicated by aluminum silicate: histopathological studies

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Abstract

Human is exposed to traces of aluminum silicate (AlS), i.e., cosmetics, pesticides. Accumulation of aluminum compounds including AlS is associated with neuropathological diseases, e.g., Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of the current study is to investigate the neuroprotective effects of propolis extracts in AlS-induced cerebellum intoxication in rats. Forty adult rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10). The first group served as a control; the second group treated with 200 ml propolis/kg bwt. every other day by stomach gavage tube, third group was intraperitoneally injected with AIS (20 mg/kg) twice a week for 8 weeks, and the fourth group received propolis extract and AIS. At the end of 8 weeks, the cerebellum was harvested for further ultrastructure, histological, and histochemical investigations. Using electron microscopy, the ultrastructure of the cerebellar cortex of AlS intoxicated rats showed Purkinje cells with an irregular euchromatic nucleus and extremely increased invagination of the nuclear envelope. In addition, the cytoplasm revealed numerous damaged mitochondria (> 20%) as well as swollen lysosomes (> 40%) compared to controls. These AlS-related ultrastructure changes were to some extent normalized to < 10% and < 30% in case of mitochondria and lysosomes, respectively, if rats were co-treated with propolis extract. Further, histopathological examination showed that AlS-exposed rats revealed abnormal Purkinje cells with irregular size and shrank shape, evidence of pre-necrotic stage in the form of nuclear pyknosis, and condensed and frequent darkly stained cells in cerebellar layers. However, propolis extract co-administration reversed from 35 to 25% (p < 0.05) these alterations. The carbohydrate and protein contents were reduced in case of AlS treatment and surprisingly propolis co-treatment was able to rescue these neurotoxic effects. Propolis extract might have neuroprotective effects against AIS-induced toxicity. Further studies are required to identify the mechanism of the pharmacological action and optimal settings for medical testing of propolis extract.

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Acknowledgments

The contribution of Seddik Hammad was exclusively performed at South Valley University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt

    Nahed A. Omar

  2. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt

    Ali H. Abu-Almaaty & Yasmin M. Abd El-Aziz

  3. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    Ahmed M. Abdeen

  4. Molecular Hepatology Section, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany

    Fatma El Zahraa Ammar Mohamed & Seddik Hammad

  5. Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

    Fatma El Zahraa Ammar Mohamed

  6. Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

    Mohamed M. M. Hashem

  7. Department of Forensic Medicine and Veterinary Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt

    Seddik Hammad

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  1. Nahed A. Omar
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  2. Ali H. Abu-Almaaty
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  3. Yasmin M. Abd El-Aziz
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  4. Ahmed M. Abdeen
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  5. Fatma El Zahraa Ammar Mohamed
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  6. Mohamed M. M. Hashem
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  7. Seddik Hammad
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Contributions

NAO, AHA, YMA, FAM, and SH conceived the study, data acquisition, and performed data analyses. YMA, AMA, MMH, and SH wrote the manuscript. AHA and SH performed critical revision of the manuscript and provided supervisory support. All authors read the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Seddik Hammad.

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Omar, N.A., Abu-Almaaty, A.H., Abd El-Aziz, Y.M. et al. Impacts of Egyptian propolis extract on rat cerebellum intoxicated by aluminum silicate: histopathological studies. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 22061–22068 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05469-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05469-4

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