Methanolic extract of Piper nigrum fruits improves memory impairment by decreasing brain oxidative stress in amyloid beta(1-42) rat model of Alzheimer's disease.
The present study analyzed the possible memory-enhancing and antioxidant proprieties of the methanolic extract of Piper nigrum L. fruits (50 and 100 mg/kg, orally, for 21 days) in amyloid beta(1-42) rat model of Alzheimer's disease. The memory-enhancing effects of the plant extract were studied by means of in vivo (Y-maze and radial arm-maze tasks) approaches. Also, the antioxidant activity in the hippocampus was assessed using superoxide dismutase-, catalase-, glutathione peroxidase-specific activities and the total content of reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, and protein carbonyl levels. The amyloid beta(1-42)-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease of spontaneous alternations percentage within Y-maze task and increase of working memory and reference memory errors within radial arm-maze task. Administration of the plant extract significantly improved memory performance and exhibited antioxidant potential. Our results suggest that the plant extract ameliorates amyloid beta(1-42)-induced spatial memory impairment by attenuation of the oxidative stress in the rat hippocampus.
Department of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Bd. Carol I, No.11, 700506, Iasi, Romania, hritcu@uaic.ro.
Lucian
L
Hritcu
Jaurès A
JA
Noumedem
Oana
O
Cioanca
Monica
M
Hancianu
Victor
V
Kuete
Marius
M
Mihasan
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005638:Fruit; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D000432:Methanol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000633:toxicity*; D029222:Piper nigrum; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010936:Plant Extracts; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D000432:Methanol