%0 Journal Article %T Effects of crocin on spatial or aversive learning and memory impairments induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats %J Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine %I Mashhad University of Medical Sciences %Z 2228-7930 %A Azmand, Mohammad Javad %A Rajaei, Ziba %D 2021 %\ 01/01/2021 %V 11 %N 1 %P 79-90 %! Effects of crocin on spatial or aversive learning and memory impairments induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats %K Crocin %K Lipopolysaccharide %K Memory %K Interleukin-1β %K Oxidative stress %K systemic inflammation %R 10.22038/ajp.2020.16490 %X Objective: Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress play essential roles in the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Crocin, main active constituent of Crocus sativus L. (saffron), possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative capacity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of crocin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced learning and memory deficits and neuroinflammation in rats.Materials and Methods: The animals were randomly classified into four groups, including control, LPS, crocin 50 and crocin 100. The rats were treated with either crocin (50 and 100 mg/kg) or saline for a week. Later, LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline was administered, and treatments with crocin or saline were continued for 3 more weeks. The behavioral tasks for spatial and aversive memories were performed by the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tasks from post-injection days 18 to 24. Furthermore, the levels of interleukine-1β, lipid peroxidation and total thiol were assayed in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.  Results: Our results demonstrated that treatment of LPS-treated rats with crocin decreased the escape latency in the Morris water maze and increased the time spent in the target quadrant in the probe trial. Moreover, crocin increased step-through latency in the passive avoidance test. However, there was no significant difference in the oxidative and neuroinflammatory responses among the experimental groups. Conclusion: Pretreatment with crocin attenuates spatial or aversive learning and memory deficits in LPS-treated rats. %U https://ajp.mums.ac.ir/article_16490_001804f52b3651edadfd1a48f77952ce.pdf