EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC SEED EXTRACT OF CITRUS LANATUS (WATERMELON) ON IMMUNOREACTIVITY OF HIPPOCAMPAL NEUROFILAMENT OF ADULT WISTAR RATS

Neurofilaments are major protein constituents of the brain, and play importantroles in trafficking of molecules between neurons. An experimental study on thetotal protein content and immunoreactivity of neurofilament protein was undertaken on the hippocampus of adult rats treated with the seed extract of Citrulluslanatus, Omega H3 and soybean oil. Twenty (20) adult wistar rats of average weights 150g were used. The rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 4 rats per group. Group Aserved as control, groups B and C received 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg of Citrullus lanatus ethanolic seed extracts orally respectively, while groups D and E received 300 mg/kg of Omega H3 and 5ml/kgof Soybean oil for two weeks respectively. Total serum protein was estimated biochemically and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 20 group comparison were made by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The hippocampus was dissected, fixed, processed and stained for neurofilament by the avidin–biotin immunoperoxidase method. The result revealed total serum protein levels increased significantly in treated groups while immunoreactivity to neurofilament increased in all treated groups compared to the control. In conclusion, ethanolic seed extract of Citrullus lanatus has similar effects as Omega H3 and Soya bean oil which justify it use as supplement.