Prophylactic effect of the aqueous extract of Pimpinella anisum on the behavior of Wistar rats exposed to mercury

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prophylactic effect of Pimpinella anisum (green anis) on neurobehavioral status following mercury chloride intoxication during the developmental period. For this purpose, rats exposed to 100 mg/L of HgCl2 during the gestation and lactation period. A group of rats was treated with the anis extract for 15 days before becoming intoxicated with mercury. In contrast, one group was orally administered aqueous anis extract for 15 days after intoxication. The forced swimming test, the open field test and the Morris pool respectively recorded an increase in immobility time, a decrease in the number of cross-cells (p <0.001), (p <0.05) and an increase in latency (p <0.01), (p <0.001), (p <0.001) and decreased time spent in the target frame during the probe test (p <0.01) and increased latency in the visible test (p <0.01) in HgCl2 - exposed rats compared to control rats. However, preventive and curative aniseed-based treatment reduced the rate of depression, increased locomotor activity and improved learning performance. In conclusion, the aqueous extract of Pimpinella anisum could have a corrective effect on some neurological disorders caused by mercury.

Keywords

• immobility time; learning; locomotor activity; mercury; neurobehavior; Pimpinella anisum