Background: Aspartame (ASP) is an artificial sweetener which might caused changes in cerebellum.
Objective: To evaluate the histological changes in cerebellar cortex of albino rats treated by aspartame and the impact of co-treatment with anisum oil.
Methods: The study done at Pharmacology Department lab., Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, between January and March 2020. Sixty rats divided into four equal groups: Group 1 (control group): served as control animals. Group 2 (anisum oil): received 0.5 ml/kg/d/b wt. of anisum oil once daily. Group 3 (ASP group): received daily 250 mg/kg. body wt. of ASP dissolved in distilled water and given orally to animals through intra-gastric tube for 2 months. Group 4: received 0.5 mL/kg/b wt. of anisum oil once daily as prophylaxis, followed by ASP after 2 hours for 2 months. Then rats were anesthetized and their cerebella were investigated.
Results: The histopathological results revealed changes in the myelinated nerve fibers, granular cells, and Purkinje cells of ASP-treated animals. Cytoplasm of some of these cells appeared as deeply stained. Ultrastructural evaluation showed dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum of Purkinje cells and degenerated mitochondria. Nuclei of Granular cells appeared less condensed. There were thickening of myelinated sheath of most of myelinated nerve fibers and myelin sheath of others appeared splitted. The changes were less found in co-administration of anisum oil with ASP.
Conclusion: ASP neurotoxicity could affect cerebellar cortex as a target area. Meanwhile uses of oil of anisum with ASP might alleviate the toxic effect induced by ASP on brain tissue.