Pharmacological Evaluation of the Recuperative Effect of Morusin Against Aluminium Trichloride (AlCl3)-Induced Memory Impairment in Rats.
BACKGROUND
Elevation in brain levels of aluminium can be neurotoxic and can cause learning and memory deficiencies. In Chinese medicine, Morus alba is used as a neuroprotective herb. The current study was intended to discover the recuperative effect of morusin against aluminium trichloride (AlCl3)-induced memory impairment in rats along with biochemical mechanism of its protective action.


METHODS
Memory deficiency was produced by AlCl3 (100 mg/kg; p.o.) in experimental animals. Learning and memory activity was measured using Morris water maze (MWM) test model. Central cholinergic activity was evaluated through the measurement of brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. In addition to the above, oxidative stress was determined through assessment of brain thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) levels.


RESULTS
AlCl3 administration prompted significant deficiency of learning and memory in rats, as specified by a noticeable reduction in MWM presentation. AlCl3 administration also produced a significant deterioration in brain AChE action and brain oxidative stress (increase in TBARS and decrease in GSH) levels. Treatment with morusin (5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, dose orally) significantly overturned AlCl3- induced learning and memory shortages along with diminution of AlCl3-induced rise in brain AChE activity and brain oxidative stress levels.


CONCLUSIONS
It may be concluded that morusin exerts a memory-preservative outcome in mental discrepancies of rats feasibly through its various activities.
School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308. Australia.
Gaurav
G
Gupta
School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur 57000. Malaysia.
Dinesh K
DK
Chellappan
School of Pharmacy, Gyan Vihar University, Mahal, Jagatpura, Jaipur 302017. India.
Mohit
M
Agarwal
East West College of Pharmacy, Off Magadi Road, Bangalore-560091. India.
Madhu
M
Ashwathanarayana
School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith NSW 2751. Australia.
Srinivas
S
Nammi
School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308. Australia.
Kavita
K
Pabreja
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308. Australia.
Kamal
K
Dua
D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000633:toxicity*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D031625:Morus; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; C057451:morusin
Acetylcholinestrase; Alcl3; aluminium trichloride; glutathione; morusin; thiobarbituric acid