GEOTACTICAL AND NEUROCHEMICAL PHENOTYPES OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER FOLLOWING NIGELLA SATIVA EXPOSURE

Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster is a holometabolous frugivorous fly, with neurobiological and neurogenetic modelling importance owed to its small size, short life cycle, fast reproductive rate, low cost in maintenance and small tetra-chromosomal genome. Nigella sativa (Black seed) is a widely researched medicinal plant with numerous reported therapeutic activities in humans and rodents. Being the most abundant neurotransmitter in Drosophila, glutamate plays an important role in learning and memory, neuro-excitation but also neuro-inhibition. This research thus investigated the impacts of Nigella sativa on the survival rate, glutamate level and negative geotactical abilities in Harwich strains of Drosophila melanogaster. The experimental flies were exposed to varied concentrations of Nigella sativa oil for five days. The results showed a higher survival rate, glutamate level and negative geotactic ability for the lower dose flies, while the higher Nigella sativa dose flies recorded significantly lesser values in the trio. This indicates that Nigella sativa administered at 2.4ml/4ml (60%) of feed may be lethal to the general survival and physiological functions of adult Drosophila. The lower dose however shows a high potential of improving locomotive and neurochemical activities in flies, as further studies are on to further identify the most therapeutic dose of Nigella sativa in Drosophila melanogaster, with a range suggested based on the findings of this research