Biochemical and protective response in Drosophila melanogaster (Harwish strain) exposed to different extracts of Breonadia salicina

Oni Omolara, M. M. Idris, J. B. Nvau, Longchi Zaccheaus and Fatima Baiwa

Advancement in Medicinal Plant Research
Published: June 3 2024
Volume 12, Issue 2
Pages 41-48

Abstract

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in favour of the oxidants, disrupting redox signalling and control or molecular damage. Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model not only for genetic studies but also for toxicological, neurophysiological, and circadian rhythm studies. The use of Drosophila melanogaster in toxicological studies has increased given the genome of flies has homology to the human genome, thus making it a highly predictive model of toxicity in vertebrates. The research investigates the biochemical and protective responses in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) when exposed to different extracts of the plant Breonadia salicina, which is known for its therapeutic properties but also contains potentially toxic compounds like alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, and glycosides. Using solvent partition coefficient methods, the plant parts were extracted with solvents like n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Phytochemical screenings, antioxidant activities, and acute toxicity tests were conducted, followed by survival assays and biochemical assays on the flies. The exposure to lethal doses of B. salicina extracts resulted in increased levels of biochemical markers such as SOD, MDA, GHS, and CAT in the flies, indicating a response to oxidative stress. The study highlights the toxicological effects of B. salicina, which led to increased mortality and induction of cell stress markers. The results caution against the indiscriminate use of plant extracts due to their potential toxic effects, emphasizing the need for safety protocols in the medicinal use of plants. This underscores the importance of understanding both the beneficial and harmful aspects of phytochemicals in plants.

Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster, probit analysis, percentage survival, lethal concentration.

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