Journal of Environmental Biology

Alleviation of hexavalent chromium induced oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster using leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera and Bacopa monnieri

B.R. Kurella¹, R. Venkataramanaiah¹, R. Narayanappa¹, S.S. Vutukuru² and S.G. Kunnel³*     

¹Department of Biotechnology, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru-560 111, India

²Centre for Environment, University College of Engineering, Science and Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad-500 085, India

³Faculty of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru-560 077, India

Received: 16 November 2023                   Revised: 29 January 2024                   Accepted: 21 May 2024

*Corresponding Author Email : shinojesu@gmail.com                 *ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4486-4738

Abstract

Aim: The present study assessed the potential of Moringa oleifera and Bacopa monnieri leaf extracts in amelioration of Cr (VI) induced oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster.

Methodology: The 96 hr lethal dose (LD₅₀) of chromium was determined by exposing flies to varied doses (10, 20, 30,40,50,60 mg kg^-1) of Cr (VI) through diet. Later, flies were exposed to 0, 30 and 50 mg kg^-1 of Cr and treated with leaf extracts to evaluate their alleviating effect on lipid peroxidation, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase. In silico studies analyzed the binding pattern of potential bioactive compounds in leaf extracts to the proposed target proteins.

Results: LD50 was 50 mg kg^-1 obtained through. The lipid peroxidation increased 2 folds with increase in Cr (VI), however, on treatment concentration with leaf extracts it decreased 1.5 times. While glutathione-s-transferase activity was reduced by 50% in Cr (VI) treated flies, the activity significantly increased by 66% and 76% after treatment with Bacopa and Moringa leaf extracts. Catalase activity showed 50% decrease in the flies treated with Cr (VI), while combined treatment of Cr (VI) and leaf extracts showed a significant increase (1.5 times) in catalase activity suggesting recovery. Molecular docking studies on the active phytochemicals of leaf extracts demonstrated their antioxidant potential on par with taurine (ligand), a known antioxidant.

Interpretation: The leaf extracts significantly alleviated the Cr (VI) induced oxidative stress, promising a natural therapy to overcome the harmful effects of Cr (VI) exposure in life forms.

Key words: Bacopa monneiri, Chromium toxicity, Drosophila melanogaster, Moringa oleifera, Oxidative stress

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