Assessment of monoamine neurotransmitters in the cortex and cerebellum of gamma-irradiated mice: A neuromodulatory role of Cynodon dactylon

Introduction: Radiation is an important tool in the diagnostic and curative treatment of many cancers. Ionizing radiation induces many biochemical changes in the cells. The present study was designed to estimate the level of neurotransmitters in the distinct brain tissue of Swiss albino mice before exposing gamma radiation.

Materials and methods: The mice were treated with 0.25 and 1 g/kg body weight of Cynodon dactylon extract (CDE) via oral gavage for 7 days and subjected to 5 Gy of gamma radiation. The estimation of monoamines was performed in the cortex and cerebellum separately.

Results: Mice exposed to a sublethal dose 5 Gy of gamma radiation causes a significant decrease in dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin levels compared to normal. The mice treated with 0.25 and 1 g/kg body weight of CDE via oral gavage for 7 days showed significant improvement in the level of monoamine neurotransmitters in both the cortex and cerebellum homogenate.

Conclusion: Oral administration of antioxidant-rich C. dactylon has shown a neuromodulatory effect against radiation-induced depletion of neurotransmitters in the brain tissues.

Keywords: Cerebellum; Cynodon dactylon; cortex; gamma radiation; neurotransmitters; oxidative stress.