title: Beneficial effects of ellagic acid against animal models of scopolamine- and diazepam-induced cognitive impairments.
abstract: Context In a previous study, it has been shown that ellagic acid (EA), a polyphenolic compound found in pomegranate and different berries, prevents cognitive and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) impairments induced by traumatic brain injury in rats through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Objective The present study was conducted to assess the potential of EA as a memory enhancer. Materials and methods The elevated plus maze (EPM) and passive avoidance (PA) paradigm were used to evaluate learning and memory parameters. Three doses (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) of EA were administered to animals. Memory impairment was induced by scopolamine treatment (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) and/or diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Acquisition trials were carried out 30 min after scopolamine treatment and retention trials were performed for 5 min 24 h after the acquisition trials. Results EA at doses 30 and 100 mg/kg significantly reversed the amnesia induced by scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) in the EPM and PA tests in mice. Also, EA at doses 30 and 100 mg/kg significantly antagonized the amnesia induced by diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in EPM test in rats. Moreover, chronic administration of EA at dose 30 mg/kg ameliorated the memory deficit induced by diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in rats. Discussion and conclusion This study demonstrates that ellagic acid is effective in preventing scopolamine- and diazepam-induced cognitive impairments without altering the animals' locomotion. This suggests the potential of EA application as a useful memory restorative agent in the treatment of dementia seen in elderly persons.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;|b Physiology Research Center , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mansouri
authors.affiliation: b Physiology Research Center , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;|c Department of Physiology, School of Medicine , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;
authors.forename: Yaghoub
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Farbood
authors.affiliation: d Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;
authors.forename: Bahareh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Naghizadeh
authors.affiliation: b Physiology Research Center , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;|c Department of Physiology, School of Medicine , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;
authors.forename: Sohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabani
authors.affiliation: e Department of Physiology, School of Medicine , Zahedan University of Medical Sciences , Zahedan , Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mirshekar
authors.affiliation: b Physiology Research Center , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;|c Department of Physiology, School of Medicine , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz , Iran ;
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarkaki
mesh_terms: D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003975:Diazepam; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D012601:Scopolamine
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D012601:Scopolamine; D003975:Diazepam
keywords: Elevated plus maze; memory deficit; passive avoidance