Effect of polar fractions of Marsilea crenata C. Presl. leaves in zebrafish locomotor activity

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are pathological conditions initiated by the loss of neuronal cell structure and the progressive decline in function caused by prolonged neuroinflammation. Postmenopausal women are at a high risk of experiencing NDs due to estrogen deficiency in their bodies, necessitating the administration of phytoestrogens as a replacement for estrogen in the body. One alternative therapy is administering phytoestrogens, estrogen-like substances from plants, which can be obtained from Marsilea crenata C. Presl. leaves. The purpose of this study was to determine whether administration of the n-butanol fraction (BF) and water fraction (WF) of M. crenata leaves could increase locomotor activity in rotenone-induced zebrafish. Treatment was given to each group of zebrafish with BF and WF at doses of 2.5; 5; 10; and 20 ppm to determine the locomotor activity. Then an analysis was carried out by looking at each movement of the zebrafish swimming for 1 min at the time of observation on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. The result showed that BF and WF significantly increased the locomotor activity of zebrafish at the optimum dose of 20 ppm for BF and 5 ppm for WF compared to the negative control. This concludes that the polar fraction of M. crenata leaves is proven to have the potential to prevent ND progressivity.