Asian Journal of Medicine and Health

The use of Moringa oleifera seed oil in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases is on an increasing trend. Cadmium is one of the most toxic environmental pollutants causing many known damage to the brain, the consumption of herbal alcoholic beverages is known to cause neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effects of Moringa oleifera seed oil on cadmium and herbal alcoholic beverage induced- damage to the frontal cortex of Wistar rats. Eighty Wistar rats were divided into eight groups of 10 rats each. Group A served as a control which received 2.5mg/kgbw phosphate buffer intra-peritoneally, while group F served as Moringa-treated control and received oral administration of 2.0 mg/kgbw Moringa oleifera oil. Groups B₁, B₂, D and E were injected intra-peritoneally with 3.5mg/kgbw CdSO₄.8H₂O single dose. Group C₁, C₂ and D received oral administration of 0.5 ml Herbal Alcoholic Beverage (HAB) and group B₂, C2and E were administered orally with 2.0mg/kgbw Moringa oleifera oil for four weeks followed by sacrificed. Quantitative enzymes and biochemical antioxidant markers showed that cadmium and HAB administration caused a significant increase in AchE, SDH, CAT, GPx and MDA levels and decrease in SOD level. Conversely, there were significant decrease in AchE, SDH, CAT, GPx and MDA and increased SOD level upon administration of Moringa oleifera oil.  Moringa oleifera seed oil has natural antioxidant constituents that ameliorated damage caused by Cd and HAB.