Melatonin salvages lead‐induced neuro‐cognitive shutdown, anxiety, and depressive‐like symptoms via oxido‐inflammatory and cholinergic mechanisms

INTRODUCTION: Lead is the most used nonphysiological neurotoxic heavy metal in the world that has been indicated to interfere with the cognitive and noncognitive processes via numerous mechanisms. The neuroprotective effect of melatonin is well known, but the effect of its interaction with lead in the brain remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: To assess the therapeutic role of melatonin on cognitive deficit, anxiety and depressive‐like symptoms in matured male Wistar rats exposed to a subchronic lead chloride (PbCl(2)). METHODS: Twenty male Wistar rats were blindly randomized into four groups (n = 5/group): group 1 to 4 underwent intragastric administration of physiological saline (10 ml/kg; vehicle), PbCl(2) (50 mg/kg), melatonin (10 mg/kg) and PbCl(2) + melatonin respectively for a period of 4 weeks during which neurobehavioral data were extracted, followed by neurochemical and histopathological evaluations. RESULTS: Exposure to PbCl(2) reduced cognitive performance by increasing the escape latency and average proximity to the platform zone border, decreasing average path length in the platform zone, cognitive score, and time spent in probing. It raised the thigmotaxis percentage, time spent in rearing, number of pellet‐like feces, and time spent in the dark compartment of a bright/dark box which are predictors of anxiety. It also induced depressive‐like behavior as immobility time was enhanced. PbCl(2) deranged neurochemicals; malondialdehyde, interlukin‐1β, and tumor necrotic factor‐α were increased while superoxide dismutase and acetylcholinesterase were decreased without remarkable alteration in reduced glutathione and nitric oxide. Administration of PbCl(2) further disrupted neuronal settings of hippocampal proper and dentate gyrus. In contrast, the supplementation of melatonin reversed all the neurological consequences of PbCl(2) neurotoxicity by eliciting its properties against oxidative and nonoxidative action of PbCl(2). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that melatonin down‐regulates neurotoxicant interplays in the brain systems. Therefore, this study suggests the use of melatonin as an adjuvant therapy in neuropathological disorders/dysfunctions.