Effect of Coturnix japonica (quail) egg yolk in ethanol damage-induced mice

Abstract

Introduction: The high prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases in the older adult population requires research focused on functional foods with regulatory properties on redox state and with antioxidant potential. Quail egg yolk is a food with a great diversity of antioxidant compounds with neuroprotective activity. Objective: To evaluate the effect of Coturnix japonica (quail) egg yolk administration on the nervous tissue induced by ethanol damage in mice. Methodology: 35 mice received the following treatment via orogastric for five days: groups I and II water (10 mL/kg), group III egg yolk (5 mL/kg), group IV egg yolk (10 mL/kg) and group V egg yolk (15 mL/kg). On the fifth day, 99% ethanol was administered subcutaneously (5 g/kg) to groups II-V. After four hours, the mice were decapitated to obtain the brain and cerebellum and subsequently perform biochemical tests and histopathological analysis. Results: Group IV presented neuronal proliferation phenomenon and Purkinje cells pluristratification in brain and cerebellum respectively, additionally presented a better GSH/GSSG ratio (p<0.05) with respect to group II, there was no statistically significant difference between protein levels or protein sulfhydryl groups in any of the groups. Conclusions: Coturnix japonica egg yolk administration resulted in better preservation of the cytoarchitecture of the brain and cerebellum, as well as increased GSH profile.