Résumé:
Acetamiprid (ACE), a widely used neonicotinoid pesticide, is effective in pest control but raises
health and environmental concerns due to its potential toxicity to non-target organisms like
mammals. This study investigated ACE's repercussions on stress parameters in rats and the
protective effects of Juniperus phoenicea L. (JNP) extract against pesticide-induced
neurotoxicity in Albino-Wistar rats.
28 female rats were divided into four groups: control (C), (JNP) extract alone, exposed (ACE),
and a combination of (JNP+ACE). The 30-day oral gavage treatment involved 20mg/kg/day of
ACE and 200mg/kg/day of JNP decoction. Behavioral assessments (open field, elevated plus
maze, forced swim tests) analyzed anxiety, depressive-like behavior, and locomotor activity.
Oxidative stress markers glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT),
and protein levels were measured in brain tissue.
Findings showed ACE exposure reduced body and brain weight, increased anxiety and
depressive-like behaviors, and disrupted oxidative balance. This was evidenced by decreased
GSH and GST, and elevated CAT activity, indicating oxidative stress and neuronal damage.
Crucially, co-administering JNP extract ameliorated these behavioral and physiological
impairments.
This study suggests Juniperus phoenicea possesses therapeutic potential as a natural agent
against pesticide toxicity. It emerges as a promising phytotherapy candidate for enhancing
neurological functions and mitigating oxidative stress.
