moringa oleifera lam. is a potential mitigator of neurodevelopmental defects caused by prenatal stress in wistar rats

Background: gestational stress is a key factor in neurodevelopmental impairments in offspring, affecting learning, memory, and emotional regulation. moringa oleifera lam. leaf extract (mole) with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, may offer neuroprotective benefits. objective: this study evaluated impact of mole on the neurodevelopment of wistar rat pups subjected to chronic unpredictable stress (cus). methods: twenty-five healthy virgin female albino-wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups of five rats each, which underwent a two-week cus protocol. groups were as follows: group i (received ad libitum water and standard rat chow), group ii (received mole at 5 mg/kg body weight/day), group iii (received mole at 10 mg/kg body weight/day), group iv (cus + mole at dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight/day), and group v (cus + mole at dosage of 10 mg/kg body weight/day). offspring were evaluated for histological changes in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, while serum malondialdehyde (mda) levels, and behavioral tests were carried out to assess anxiety-like behaviors and spatial memory. results: histological analysis revealed mole supplementation mitigated cellular damage. mda levels were elevated among pups exposed to mole-supplemented and cus, but not in mole-supplemented groups. behavioral results for anxiety-like behavior were inconclusive. spatial memory results showed a non-significant decrease in all groups, requiring further investigation. conclusion: this study provides preliminary evidence for m. oleifera's potential neuroprotective effects against gestational stress-induced damage. further research with more specific behavioral tests is needed to confirm its effects on anxiety-like behavior and spatial memory.