Introduction: Deltamethrin, a widely used insecticide, has neurotoxic effects causing apoptosis. Wheat germ oil is a highly valuable part of wheat that proved to have neuro-protective and anti-apoptotic effects.
Aim of the work: To evaluate the possible protective role of wheat germ oil in deltamethrin-induced injury in rat cerebellar cortex.
Materials and Methods: Four equal groups of adult male albino rats "10 rats, each" were used; control group, wheat germ oil (WGO) group (100 mg/kg), deltamethrin group (0.6 mg/kg), and deltamethrin & wheat germ oil combination group. Daily oral doses were given for consecutive thirty days. Specimens of the cerebellum were processed for histological and immunohistochemical study. Morphometric studies and statistical analysis were performed.
Results: In comparison with the control group, the specimens of the deltamethrin group showed disturbed monolayer arrangement of Purkinje cells with loss of the normal shape. Shrunken deeply stained Purkinje cells as well as some lost cells were noticed. Immunohistochemically, a significant decrease in Bcl2 immunoreaction revealed together with a significant increase in Bax immunoreactivity in Purkinje cells. Moreover, significant increase in the GFAP immune-expression was seen in all cortical layers. In contrast, minimal changes appeared in the group treated concomitantly with deltamethrin and wheat germ oil.
Conclusion: Wheat germ oil attenuates deltamethrin-induced structural changes in rat cerebellar cortex.