The preventive effect of lotus seedpod procyanidins on cognitive impairment and oxidative damage induced by extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure.

Food & function · 2013 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 4604

Study snapshot

PublicationFood & function · 2013

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of lotus seedpod procyanidins (LSPCs) administered by oral gavage on the cognitive deficits and oxidative damage of mice at extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) exposure (50 Hz, 8 mT, 28 days). The results showed that 90 mg kg⁻¹ LSPCs treatment significantly increased body weight compared with the ELF-EMF group at ELF-EMF exposure and effectively maintained liver index, thymus index, kidney index and spleen index close to normal. A water maze test indicated that learning and memory abilities of the ELF-EMF group deteriorated significantly with ELF-EMF exposure when compared with the control group, but the ELF-EMF + LSPCs90 group had remarkably improved learning and memory abilities compared with the ELF-EMF group. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) mostly exhibited significant increases, while the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased significantly under ELF-EMF exposure in the ELF-EMF group. LSPCs (especially 60, 90 mg kg⁻¹) administration decreased MDA, ROS, NO content and lowered NOS activity in LSPCs treatment groups. Furthermore, LSPCs (60, 90 mg kg⁻¹) treatment significantly augmented GPx, CAT, SOD activity in the hippocampus and serum. Pathological observation showed that number of pyramidal cells of the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus of the LSPCs treatment groups was significantly greater than the ELF-EMF group. All the data suggested that the LSPCs can effectively prevent learning and memory damage and oxidative damage caused by the ELF-EMF, most likely through the ability of LSPCs to scavenge oxygen free radicals and to stimulate antioxidant enzyme activity.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionmixed

PopulationMice

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 28 days (50 Hz, 8 mT)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

ELF-EMF exposure (50 Hz, 8 mT, 28 days) was associated with impaired learning and memory and increased oxidative stress markers with decreased antioxidant enzyme activities in mice compared with controls. Oral lotus seedpod procyanidins (especially 60 and 90 mg/kg) improved water maze performance, reduced oxidative stress markers, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and increased hippocampal pyramidal cell numbers compared with the ELF-EMF group.

Outcomes measured

Cognitive performance (water maze learning and memory)
Body weight
Organ indices (liver, thymus, kidney, spleen)
Oxidative stress markers (MDA, ROS, NO, NOS)
Antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, CAT, SOD) in hippocampus and serum
Hippocampal pathology (pyramidal cell number in CA1 and CA3)

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
Details of randomization/blinding not reported in abstract
Only one ELF-EMF exposure condition (50 Hz, 8 mT) and one exposure duration (28 days) described in abstract
Intervention study (procyanidins) may limit inference about ELF-EMF effects alone

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "other",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "28 days (50 Hz, 8 mT)"
  },
  "population": "Mice",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Cognitive performance (water maze learning and memory)",
    "Body weight",
    "Organ indices (liver, thymus, kidney, spleen)",
    "Oxidative stress markers (MDA, ROS, NO, NOS)",
    "Antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, CAT, SOD) in hippocampus and serum",
    "Hippocampal pathology (pyramidal cell number in CA1 and CA3)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "ELF-EMF exposure (50 Hz, 8 mT, 28 days) was associated with impaired learning and memory and increased oxidative stress markers with decreased antioxidant enzyme activities in mice compared with controls. Oral lotus seedpod procyanidins (especially 60 and 90 mg/kg) improved water maze performance, reduced oxidative stress markers, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and increased hippocampal pyramidal cell numbers compared with the ELF-EMF group.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Details of randomization/blinding not reported in abstract",
    "Only one ELF-EMF exposure condition (50 Hz, 8 mT) and one exposure duration (28 days) described in abstract",
    "Intervention study (procyanidins) may limit inference about ELF-EMF effects alone"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low frequency electromagnetic field",
    "ELF-EMF",
    "50 Hz",
    "8 mT",
    "mice",
    "cognitive impairment",
    "water maze",
    "oxidative damage",
    "malondialdehyde",
    "reactive oxygen species",
    "nitric oxide",
    "nitric oxide synthase",
    "glutathione peroxidase",
    "catalase",
    "superoxide dismutase",
    "hippocampus",
    "lotus seedpod procyanidins"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.2,
      "reason": "Study involves ELF-EMF exposure parameters (50 Hz) relevant to some occupational/industrial contexts, though no workplace setting is specified."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1039/c3fo60116a
PubMed: 23764910

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