Influence of Indian snake (Naja naja) venom on cognition and biochemical functions in N- Nitrosodiethylamine treated Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The flies (Drosophila melanogaster) were segregated into four groups. 1^st Group is normal-control, 2^nd group is wild type flies administered with 0.01% NDEA, 3^rd group is wild type flies administered with 0.01% NDEA + 0.01% Naja naja snake venom (NNV) and 4^th group is flies administered with 0.01% NNV alone were administered via food medium for 21 days. After the experimental period, the behavioural changes were analyzed. The behavioural assays include negative geotaxis, phototaxis, smell chemotaxis, taste chemotaxis, thermotaxis, and hygrotaxis were carried out in all groups of flies. The behavioural changes were found to be deteriorated in NDEA administered flies when related to the control but the behaviour is likely to regularise in NDEA+NNV administered flies. The protein carbonyl levels and levels of thiobarbuturic acid reactive substance (TBARS), protein thiol and lipid peroxides were noticeably elevated in NDEA administered flies as matched to control flies and similarly be likely to regularize in the NDEA+NNV group. Likewise, the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were diminished in the group of NDEA administered and were noticeably more in the group of NDEA+NNV administered group. NNV has been stated to possess pharmacologically active components such as disintegrins, cobratoxin, hannalgesin, cytotoxin II, etc. which could possess antioxidant, antibacterial, hypotensive, cancer suppressive, anticoagulant, and analgesic activities. Our present study provides evidences that these components could normalize cognitive behaviour and attenuate oxidative stress in a genetically important model organism D. melanogaster.