QUERCETIN IMPROVES MOTOR DEFICIT IN MANGANESE-INDUCED CEREBELLAR TOXICITY IN ADULT MICE

Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element needed for normal development and physiological
processes in the body. However, chronic exposures or consumption of Mn can cause neurotoxicity in
humans to affect balance and motor coordination. Quercetin is a polyphenolic flavonoid contained in
some fruits and its association with the management of motor neurodegenerative disorders is yet to be
fully understood. Hence, this is present study is aimed at investigating the efficacy of Quercetin on
manganese-induced cerebellar damage of an adult mice. Forty (40) healthy BALB/c male mice weighing
between 20-25grandomly selected into five group were used for the study. Behavioural, histological,
immunohistochemical and biochemical analysis were carried to validate our hypothesis that Quercetin is
neuroprotective. Manganese exposed mice exhibited increased latency of turn (LOT) when compared to
the control group in parallel bar test. There was a significant decrease in the LOT in all groups that
received Quercetin when compared with manganese exposed group. Also, when using grip strength test,
manganese exposed mice exhibited decrease grip strength when compared to the control group and a
significant increase in Quercetin grip strength when compared with manganese exposed group.
Histological results also revealed that there were little or no disrupted neurons in the granular, molecular
and purkinje layer of the cerebellum. Immunohistochemical results also showed that the normal control
and Quercetin-treated mice showed no expression of tumour necrosis factor alpha when compared to the manganese-exposed mice with shrunken morphology. Markers of oxidative stress were significantly different in the experimental animals when compared to the control and Quercetin treated mice. This study therefore revealed that Quercetin may have an antioxidant effects on the oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in the cerebellum thereby ameliorating the exhibited abnormal motor coordination caused by prolonged exposure to manganese.