Protective role of Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. crude extract on rat tissues in the presence of acephate and carbofuran by histopathology and cytometric determination

Abstract

<em>Ipomoea aquatica</em> Forsk., commonly called water spinach ( ‘<em>kalmi</em>’ in Bengali) is an underexploited local green leafy vegetable having enormous scope as a cheap antioxidant source. The study explores the ameliorative effect of aqueous <em>I. aquatica</em> extract (IAE) in acephate and carbofuran treated Wistar male rats. Aqueous IAE (@ 20 mg/kg body wt.), administered to rats treated with organophosphate acephate (@ 30 mg/kg body wt.) and carbamate carbofuran (@ 0.1 mg /kg body wt.), attenuated the cholinesterase activity in brain, liver and cellular blood and reformed the histological perturbations in the brain cortex as well as the kidney anomalies, to a good extent. The IAE also upregulated the NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) and MnSOD gene expression against pesticide toxicity. Hence, results of the present study intervenes into a new approach of justifying the deleterious side effects of pesticides that are commonly used, and how green leafy vegetables can help ameliorate those harmful effects.