Hesperetin and naringenin relieve neurotoxicity and histological distortions in benzo[a]pyrene-challenged rats

Introduction: Environmental pollutants like benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which belongs to the PAH family, generated from fossil fuel combustion, pose a neurotoxic risk. Their lipophilic nature allows them to breach the blood-brain barrier and trigger oxidative stress. This research explored the neuroprotective effectiveness of the flavonoids hesperetin together with naringenin against BaP-induced neurotoxicity in a rodent model. Methods A total of 28 male Wistar rats were randomly distributed into four experimental groups and treated with BaP alone or in combination with hesperetin or naringenin for 14 days. Results The results demonstrated that BaP exposure led to significant depletion of glutathione, inhibition of glutathione peroxidase, and elevation of lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, and xanthine oxidase activity in rat brain tissue. Histopathological analysis revealed neuronal damage characterized by pyknotic cells in the cerebrum and shrunken Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Co-administration of hesperetin markedly attenuated these oxidative stress markers and prevented histopathological alterations. Naringenin also exhibited some protective effects against structural damage. Discussion Our findings suggest that hesperetin and naringenin can mitigate BaP-induced neurotoxicity by bolstering antioxidant defenses and preserving brain tissue integrity. These results highlight the potential neuroprotective benefits of flavonoid-rich citrus fruits in combating the adverse effects of environmental pollutants like BaP.