PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN GAIT, KINEMATIC, HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO OLEIC ACID AND HEAVY METAL EXPOSURE
O. N. ILOCHI *
Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
A. N. CHUEMERE
Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Oleic acid has a natural occurrence in most plants and is isolated for use in various industrial and medicinal purposes. The progressive changes in gait, kinematic, vertical and horizontal activities were studied in heavy metal exposure. Male wistar rats were randomly sampled in four groups of control as group i and oleic acid 1, 1.5 and 2ml co-treated with AlCl3 at 50mg/kg as groups’ ii, iii and iv, respectively. Oleic acid, especially at 1.5 and 2ml co-treatment with AlCl3, significantly (P<0.05) enhanced gait, kinematic, vertical and horizontal activities compared to control. same co-treatment doses caused no significant change in calcium compared to control, but plasma level of muscle function markers changed significantly which may reveal a possible link between the dose of oleic acid treatment in heavy metal exposure and skeletal muscle activity. Oleic acid, at the studied dose may prevent or ameliorate the adverse neurologic changes caused by aluminum chloride.
Keywords: Oleic acid, heavy metal, AlCl3, gait, kinematic