Proective Effect of Frankincense Extract on the Histological Structure of Hippocampus and Cerebellum of Rats Exposed to Acrylamide

Acrylamide (CONH2-CH=CH2) is an odorless, white crystalline solid that dissolves in water and is widely used in industries such as cosmetics, adhesives, textiles, paper production, and laboratory research. It is also formed in fried foods prepared at high temperatures, with its concentration influenced by the food type, cooking method, temperature, and duration of heating. Acrylamide is neurotoxic and has been linked to carcinogenic effects in both laboratory animals and humans. This study investigates the potential protective effects of frankincense extract on the histological structure of the hippocampus and cerebellum in rats exposed to acrylamide.

Twenty healthy adult male rats were divided into four groups: the control group, the frankincense extract group (25 mg/kg), the acrylamide group (20 mg/kg), and the acrylamide with frankincense extract group (20 mg/kg acrylamide and 25 mg/kg frankincense extract). All treatments were administered via daily gavage for 14 days. After the experimental period, the rats were weighed, and blood and brain tissue samples were collected for biochemistry and histological analysis.

Exposure to acrylamide significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum compared to the control group. Concurrent administration of frankincense extract with acrylamide led to a significant reduction in MDA levels and an improvement in TAC values compared to the acrylamide-only group. Histological analysis revealed that the thickness of the cerebellar granular layer increased significantly in the frankincense extract group compared to the acrylamide group.

The findings demonstrate that the alcoholic extract of frankincense exhibits strong antioxidant properties, effectively mitigating acrylamide-induced oxidative damage in brain tissue by scavenging free radicals. These results suggest that frankincense extract may serve as a protective agent against acrylamide toxicity in the hippocampus and cerebellum.