Protective role of Vernonia Cinerea against the Carmoisine induced brain injury and anxiogenic effect in mice

Abstract

Carmoisine is a synthetic food additive which is commonly used in a wide range of food beverages. According to reports, excessive use of this coloring agent causes anxiogenic behavior in mice by inducing oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ameliorating effects of Vernonia Cinerea against carmoisine-induced brain injury and anxiogenic-like effects in mice. Results of behavioral studies revealed that Ethanol Extract of Vernonia Cinerea (EEVC) has anxiolytic activity. Furthermore, carmoisine administration resulted in a significant increase in neuro-chemicals such as glutamate and a depletion of Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid levels (p < 0.001) and antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, and superoxide dismutase levels (p < 0.05), confirming brain tissue damage, while EEVC administration (400 mg/kg p.o.) reversed these biochemical alterations significantly (p < 0.05) as compared to the normal control and carmoisine-treated groups. To a remarkable extent, the extract causes significant changes in neurochemicals. Furthermore, EEVC administration significantly increased the levels of various in vivo antioxidants. Furthermore, EEVC reversed hippocampus Cornu Ammonis 3 (CA3) area complications such as intense vocalization, cyanosis, and hemorrhage when compared to carmoisine groups. From the results, EEVC has shown significant anxiolytic and ameliorating potential against carmoisine-induced brain injury evidenced by a significant reversal of biochemical, neurochemical parameters along with significant improvement of antioxidant activities.