The effects of Artemisia absinthium L. on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment and brain tissue oxidative damage in adult rats

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

1 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Neuroscience Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran

4 Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

5 Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

6 Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad Universityof Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined the effects of Artemisia absinthium L. on scopolamine-induced memory dysfunction and brain tissue oxidative damage in rats.
Materials and Methods: Fifty rats were used in five groups: Control: received dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/saline, Scopolamine: scopolamine (2 mg/kg) was administered along with DMSO/saline, and Scopolamine-Ext 50, Scopolamine-Ext 100, and Scopolamine-Ext 200 groups: A. absinthium hydroalcoholic extract 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg were administered before scopolamine. The Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tasks were used for assessment of behavioral parameters. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, total thiol, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in the cortex and hippocampus.
Results: A. absinthium decreased the delay time and distance traveled to reach the platform in the MWM test (p<0.05-p<0.001). Besides, the extract increased the delay time to pass in the dark and the light time while decreasing the number of entrances and the dark time in the PA task (p<0.05-p<0.001). In biochemical assessments, A. absinthium attenuated NO metabolites (p<0.001) and MDA (p<0.05- p<0.001) while enhanced total thiol (p<0.001), CAT and SOD (both p<0.05-p<0.001).
Conclusion: This study revealed that A. absinthium improved memory and learning impairment and brain tissue oxidative damage in scopolamine-treated rats. 


Keywords


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