Asiatic acid in Centella asiatica extract towards morphological development in an intermittent hypoxia intrauterine embryo model and molecular prediction pathway of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor signalling

Abstract

Background: Hypoxia during pregnancy generates oxidative stress that alters the growth and development of the human fetus. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1) receptors are essential for normal fetal growth. Asiatic acid in Centella asiatica (CA) has antioxidant properties to prevent growth impairment in hypoxia. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the effect of asiatic acid on the morphological development of an intermittent hypoxia zebrafish embryo model and analyse molecular docking prediction in insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signalling. Methods: Embryos of zebrafish at 2 hours postfertilization (hpf) were assigned to control negative (C), intermittent hypoxia (IH), and combination IH and CA extract groups consisting of 1.25 (IHCA1), 2.5 (IHCA2), and 5 (IHCA3) µg/ml. Hypoxia treatment (conducted 4 hours/day) and CA extract were administered for 3 days (2 - 72 hpf). The parameters of body length and head length were evaluated at 3, 6, and 9 days postfertilization (dpf). The data were analysed by a two-way ANOVA (P [Open Vet J 2023; 13(5.000): 629-637]

Keywords

• asiatic acid
• centella asiatica
• zebrafish embryo
• morphology
• igf-1r