Lauric acid protects the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of adult male Wistar rat with lead induced neurotoxicity: Evidence of its anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-oxidative properties

Background: The present study investigated the protective effect of lauric acid on the hippocampal and cerebral cortex of male wistar rats with lead-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.
Methodology: Thirty-five adult male wistar rats (150 – 200g) were divided into seven groups of experimental protocols: Food only, Pb2+ only, Lauric acid (LA) only, (500mg/kg LA + Pb2+ ), (1000mg/kg LA + Pb2+), (2000mg/kg LA + Pb2+), and (0.2mg/kg Donepezil + Pb2+). Cerebral cortex and hippocampus were protected against Pb2+ by oral pretreatment of lauric acid daily for 14 days, before oral inducement of neurotoxicity with 120mg/kg of Pb2+ daily for 7 days. After the experimental period, the animals were sacrificed via cervical dislocation, and blood samples were collected for neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress assays. Perfusion was made, and the brains were harvested, rinsed in normal saline, fixed in 10% formal saline, and subjected to histological studies. 
Results: There is a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in the serum level of TNF and IL-17, MDA with decreased SOD, Catalase in the Pb2+ treated animals without lauric acid intervention when compared with pretreatment with lauric acid and donepezil before inducing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Pretreatment with lauric acid significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the serum level of TNF, IL-17 and MDA, but significantly increased (p < 0.05) SOD and Catalase. This biochemical fact is supported by the histological results. 
Conclusion: There were comparable degrees of abatement as evidenced by the biochemical results, normal appearance of the pyramidal cells, with conspicuous apical and basal dendrites, and no signs of degeneration in the histology. Therefore, lauric acid has justified in this study that well-protected cerebral cortex and hippocampus may be the indication of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Meanwhile, it is worthwhile to consider this aspect at a deeper level of investigation using different animal models and methods.