Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of an ethanolic extract of Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes against manganese-induced neurotoxicity in a rat model.

Background: Chronic exposure to manganese (Mn) induces significant neurotoxicity through its accumulation in the brain, leading to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and neuronal damage. These alterations disrupt motor, cognitive, and affective functions and contribute to the development of manganism, an atypical Parkinsonian syndrome that shares clinical features with Parkinson’s disease despite distinct pathogenic mechanisms. Oxidative stress plays a central role in Mn-induced neuronal degeneration, making antioxidant-based interventions a promising therapeutic strategy. Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI), a cactus rich in antioxidant compounds, remains poorly explored for its neuroprotective potential.

Method: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 7): a control group receiving physiological saline (0.9% NaCl), a manganese-exposed group (25 mg/kg), and a co-treated group receiving manganese (25 mg/kg) plus OFI cladode extract (Cla, 4 mg/kg). Treatments were administered daily by intraperitoneal injection for 12 weeks. Motor, olfactory, and affective behaviors were assessed, followed by biochemical evaluation of oxidative stress markers, including nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation, and catalase activity, in the hippocampus, frontal and prefrontal cortices, striatum, and olfactory bulb.

Results: Mn exposure significantly impaired motor coordination, locomotor activity, and olfactory function, and induced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. These behavioral deficits were associated with marked increases in oxidative stress across all examined brain regions. Co-administration of the OFI extract significantly attenuated both behavioral impairments and oxidative stress alterations.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that Opuntia ficus-indica cladode extract exerts strong antioxidant and neuroprotective effects against Mn-induced Parkinsonian neurotoxicity. OFI may represent a promising natural therapeutic candidate for mitigating oxidative stress–mediated neurodegeneration associated with chronic manganese exposure

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/manganese-induced-neurotoxicity-and-parkinsonian-like-syndrome-potential-protective-role-of-opuntia-ficus-indica-cladode-extract-in-rats/