Texila International Journal of Public Health ISSN: 2520-3134 DOI: 10.21522/TIJPH.2013.12.04.Art076 Received: 20.09.2024 Accepted: 07.11.2024 Published on: 27.12.2024 *Corresponding Author: praba.anatomy@bharathuniv.ac.in Association of Cell Viability in Huntington Chorea Rat Models and the Neuroprotective Role of Withania Somnifera in Public Health Mary Antony Praba 1 *, Venkataramaniah 2 , Kavitha Ganesh 3 , Najwa Abdur Rashid 3 , Raja el Hasnaoul Saadani 3 , Mary Anne W. Cordero 3 1 Department of Anatomy, Sree Balaji Medical College, Chromepet, Chennai, Indi. 2 Department of Anatomy, Bhaarath Medical College, BIHER, Selaiyur, Chennai, India 3 Department of Anatomy, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Abstract Huntington’s disorder (HD) is a genetic, fatal neurodegenerative disorder that causes abnormal, involuntary jerky movements, postures and defects in cognition, mood and behaviour. Huntington’s disease involves with degeneration of neurons in basal nuclei and so has no cure like other neurodegenerative disorders and the affected person struggles in life for 15-20 years. The basal nuclei are involved in the inhibition of unwanted motor activities and so responsible for fine motor movements. Loss of these neurons will inflict on the quality of life of the person. Neurodegenerative disorders are almost a compulsory evil when a person is ageing. As nerve cell division and regeneration are impossible, we planned to analyze the possibility of protecting the neurons already in action by pretreating them with Withania somnifera, a traditional herbal plant, well known for its neuroprotective role. We selected 4 groups of experimental rat models, treated prior with the crude extract of Withania somnifera and the active principle withanolide A. On analysis, large lesion and dead tissue mass were found in the brain samples without pretreatment. Wherein brain samples with pretreatment, the lesion was minimalized and so was the number of dead cells. By analyzing the actual cell death, we analyzed the protective role of the plant extract and the active principle we employed. As neurodegeneration is a sure process in age and regeneration is a question unanswered, prevention or delaying nerve cell death is a need in the present community health care that was achieved by this study. Keywords: Basal Ganglia, Huntington’s Rat Model and Neurotransmitter, Striatum, Withania Somnifera, Withanolide A. Introduction HD is a fatal autosomal dominant disorder commonly affecting middle-aged people with movement and behaviour [1, 2], but may affect any age group. As a neurodegenerative disorder, it is not reversible and people affected by it must depend on the caregiver for the remaining days of life. As it affects the basal ganglia [3], the person affected will express abnormal jerky dance-like movement [4], and postures along with mood swings and memory deficit. This will invariably affect the quality of life of a person and lead to other clinical complications and even suicide [5]. Research says the global prevalence of HD is around 2.7 per 100,000 people with a high occurrence in Australia, Europe and North America (3-7 per 100,000) [6] and 1.75 per 100,000 among the Indian immigrant population in the UK. [7]. No recent evidence to prove the prevalence of HD among the Indian Population but it is been stated, likely to be 3-7 per 100,000 in like European population. Being a heavily populated country the impact of this rate is heavy on India than any other