1,4-dioxane (diethylene oxide) is a common industrial solvent which is extensively used in daily life. Being such common cyclic ether, it has emerged as serious water contaminant damaging human health at different levels. It has been classified as carcinogenic by Environmental Protection Agency. In this study, Annona squamosa (Custard Apple) leaves extract was used to investigate its role in mitigating the 1,4-dioxane induced toxicity. Twenty-five adult male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into five groups; C (control group), and co-treated groups i.e. G1 (3000ppm 1,4-dioxane treated group), G2 (3000ppm 1,4-dioxane + 200mg/kg A. squamosa treated group), G3 (3000ppm 1,4-dioxane+ 400mg/kg A. squamosa treated group) and G4 (3000ppm 1,4-dioxane+ 600mg/kg A. squamosa treated group) in triplicates which were gavaged orally for 60 days. At the end of experiment, organs were collected to analyze the parameters (AchE level, somatic index brain, brain accumulation, cell viability), and oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase, glutathione), and histological alteration. G1 exhibited the decrease in body weight, elevation in AchE activity, and oxidative stress. Comparatively, A. squamosa ethanolic leaves extract treated rats exhibited prominent improvement in all these parameters. Most significant improvement had been exhibited in G4 group establishing the protective effect of A. squamosa leaves extract in attenuating the toxicological damages and restoring the histological structure. Results have proved that A. squamosa leaves extract possess therapeutic as well as preventive capability against toxicity induced by 1,4-dioxane.

To Cite This Article: Gilani M, Sultana S, Sultana T and Jabeen F 2025. Annona squamosa: A promising protective approach for mitigation of 1,4-dioxane induced neurotoxicity in male sprague dawley rats. Pak Vet J. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.234