Neuromodulatory roles of <i>PIPER GUINEENSE</i> and honey against Lead-Induced neurotoxicity in social interactive behaviors and motor activities in rat models

<abstract><sec> <title>Background</title> <p><italic>Piper guineense</italic> and honey contain antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties that can help restore neuronal and other cell damage. To investigate the neuromodulatory roles of <italic>p. guineense</italic> and honey against lead toxicity on the hippocampus and cerebellum, impairing social behaviors and motor activities.</p> </sec><sec> <title>Methodology</title> <p>Thirty Wistar rats were separated into six groups of five rats each, marked with dye. Group A served as control; B was untreated lead; C was a medium dose of the extract (50 mg/kg) and honey (1000 mg/kg); D was a high dose of the extract (80 mg/kg) and honey (1500 mg/kg); E received extract (80 mg/kg), and F received honey (1500 mg/kg). All groups received 110 mg/kg of lead orally, except the control. Social interaction, antidepressant effects, and motor activities were studied using a sociability chamber (SC), Forced Swim Test (FST), and String methods. A blood sample was used to evaluate glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione oxide transaminase (GOT), while the lipid level was estimated using cerebellar homogenate. Neuronal damage, vacuolation, necrosis, cell degeneration, and alterations in both hippocampus and cerebellum marked untreated group, with decreased GPx and GOT activities followed by impaired motor activities, social behavior, memory, and motivation. Using SCT, group B spent significantly lesser time (47.60 ± 47.60) with stranger 1 compared to A (138.20 ± 34.05), while group C spent considerably more time with stranger 1 (86.80 ± 30.32) than group B at P ≥ 0.05. The treatment increased the enzyme level and restored histoarchitecture (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="neurosci-09-04-026-g001">Figures 1</xref>–<xref ref-type="fig" rid="neurosci-09-04-026-g012">12</xref>), improving motor activities, social behavior, memory, motivation, and social affiliation (<xref ref-type="table" rid="neurosci-09-04-026-t03">Tables 3</xref>, <xref ref-type="table" rid="neurosci-09-04-026-t04">4</xref>, <xref ref-type="table" rid="neurosci-09-04-026-t02">2</xref>, and <xref ref-type="table" rid="neurosci-09-04-026-t06">6</xref>). The extract and honey may be helpful as neuromodulators in lead toxicity in a dose-dependent manner.</p> </sec></abstract>