Centella asiatica extract ameliorates deoxygenation-induced neurological dysfunction in zebrafish larvae

Abstract

Background: Oxygen deprivation (OD) is a critical condition that can lead to brain damage and even death. Current hypoxia management approaches are limited in effectiveness. Centella asiatica, known for its neuroprotective properties, offers a potential alternative for OD treatment. Aim: This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Centella asiatica (CA) on the expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 1 (VGLUT1) in zebrafish larvae under oxygen-deficient conditions. Methods: Zebrafish embryos were subjected to low oxygen levels (1.5 mg/L) 0-2 hours post-fertilization (hpf) until three days post-fertilization (dpf), simulating the early stages of OD. Subsequent treatment involved varying concentrations of CA (1.25-5 µg/ml) up to nine days post-fertilization. The expression levels of BDNF and VGLUT1 were measured using PCR methods. Statistical analysis was conducted using Two-way ANOVA to evaluate the impact of CA on the expression of BDNF and VGLUT1 in zebrafish larvae aged 3 and 9 dpf in oxygen-deprived conditions. Results: CA significantly influenced the expression of BDNF and VGLUT1 under oxygen deprivation (p<0.001). An increase in BDNF expression (p<0.001) and a decrease in VGLUT1 (p<0.01) were observed in zebrafish larvae experiencing OD and treated with CA. There was no significant difference in BDNF and VGLUT1 expression across age variations in zebrafish larvae at 3 dpf and 9 dpf in the treatment groups (p>0.05). CA concentration of 2.5 µg/ml effectively enhanced BDNF and reduced VGLUT1 in 3-9 dpf zebrafish larvae. Conclusion: CA demonstrates potential as a neuroprotective agent, modulating increased BDNF expression and reduced VGLUT1 under OD conditions. These findings lay a foundation for further research in developing therapies for oxygen deficiency.