Dioscorea alata L. Mitigates Oxidative Stress in Drosophila Larvae Induced by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

The surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) causes severe environmental and ecological impacts. D. melanogaster is a cost-effective and genetically controllable model organism for studying toxicity and prevention. This study examined the protective effect of Dioscorea alata L. (purple yam) in restoring SDS-induced oxidative damage in the developmental stages of Drosophila melanogaster. Sub-lethal SDS dosage caused developmental impairments in Drosophila larvae. Increased toxicity caused pupation delays, reduced survival rates, and intestinal damage. The side effects were decreased by simultaneous D. alata (DA) tuber powder administration. The larvae treated with DA had reduced pupation times and eclosion rates similar to those of the control group. DA significantly restored SDS-induced intestinal damage in Smurf larvae, leading to the maintenance of epithelial integrity. Moreover, DA administration reduced oxidative stress indicators and modulated enzyme activity, strengthening larvae's defense mechanism against SDA oxidative damage. The protective effects are attributed to the antioxidant and polysaccharide properties of DA. Furthermore, DA powder reduced SDS-induced intestinal damage and accelerated developmental toxicity recovery, corroborating restored DA-associated impairments in larvae. Therefore, the study reported the potential of DA to alleviate SDS-induced oxidative damage and intestinal dysfunction. However, further investigations are required to understand the possible molecular underpinnings responsible for mitigating SDS-associated developmental defects and mitigation upon DA treatment.