neuroprotective role of vitamin e, green tea extract, and spirulina in rats treated with cadmium chloride

background & aim: spirulina (spirulina plantesis) and tea (camellia sinensis) has a long history of use in folk medicine. recently, they have been widely studied for their potential antioxidant properties. the present study investigated neuroprotective effect of spirulina and green tea extract against cadmium [cd]-induced brain lesions and to compare these effects with neuroprotective effect of vitamin e. experimental: the rats were randomly divided into 5 groups and were treated with the following treatment for a period of 4 weeks. control, cdcl2 alone, vitamin e with cdcl2, green tea extract with cdcl2, spirulina solution with cdcl2. on the 29th day, animals were sacrificed humanely and their brains were placed in formalin. hippocampus, caudate putamen, corpus callosum, cerebellum, and cerebrum were studied by light microscopy. results: neuronophagia, satellitosis of oligodendrocytes, hyperemia, hemorrhage, neuronal necrosis, central chromatolysis, neuronal atrophy, laminar necrosis, and status spongiosus were the observed changes. thickness of granular layer and molecular layer of cerebellum and size/diametr of purkenje cells reduced when cadmium used alone at precommended applications/industries: the results shows spirullina as excellent antioxidant source indicating its use possibly in combination with vitamin e and other antioxidant agent in order to prevent adverse effects of free radicals.