C-glycosyl flavonoid orientin alleviates learning and memory impairment by radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation in mice via improving antioxidant defence mechanism

Objective: To investigate the antioxidant efficacy of oral orientin on 900 MHz radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation-induced oxidative stress in mice. Methods: The mice were randomly allotted into 5 groups consisting of 7 mice each. The deionised water and radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations (RF-EMR) groups were administered with deionised water while orientin was administered to the RF-EMR + low dose of orientin group (10 mg/kg), RF-EMR + high dose of orientin group (20 mg/kg) and high dose of orientin group (20 mg/kg). All the groups except deionised water and high dose groups were exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation for 28 consecutive days (1 h/day). Learning and memory was assessed via the step-down inhibitory avoidance task. Activities of lipid prexidation and antioxidant enzymes were measured using kits. Results: Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation caused impairment in learning and memory and reduced activities of brain antioxidant enzymes, increased lipoperoxidation and corticosterone concentration as well as histopathological aberrations in the hippocampal tissues. Conversely, orientin alleviated learning and memory deficit, improved the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and mitigated brain lipoperoxidation and neuronal degeneration in mice exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. Conclusions: Orientin alleviates learning and memory impairment due to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation in mice by improving antioxidant defence mechanism and may be considered as a promising therapeutic agent for improving the antioxidant system of people living in radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation-prone environment