Kumar Sokindra, Maheshwari Kamal Kishore, Singh Vijender
Department of Pharmacy, Ram-Eesh Institute of Vocational & Technical Education, 3-Knowledge Park I, Kasna Road, Greater Noida, UP, India 201306.
Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2008 Oct 25;6(1):49-56. doi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v6i1.57073.
Dementia is one of the age related mental problems and characteristic symptom of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. This impairment probably is due to the vulnerability of the brain cells to increased oxidative stress during aging process. Many studies have shown that certain phenolic antioxidants attenuate neuronal cell death induced by oxidative stress. The present work was undertaken to assess the effect of ethanolic extract of Punica granatum seeds on cognitive performance of aged and scopolamine treated young mice using one trial step-down type passive avoidance and elevated plus maze task. Aged or scopolamine treated mice showed poor retention of memory in step-down type passive avoidance and in elevated plus maze task. Chronic administration (21 days) of Punica granatum extract and vitamin C significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the age induced or scopolamine induced retention deficits in both the paradigms. Punica granatum extract also significantly lowered lipid peroxidation level and increased antioxidant glutathione level in brain tissues. Punica granatum preparations could be protective in the treatment of cognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
痴呆症是与年龄相关的精神问题之一，是包括阿尔茨海默病在内的各种神经退行性疾病的特征性症状。这种损伤可能是由于衰老过程中脑细胞对氧化应激增加的易感性所致。许多研究表明，某些酚类抗氧化剂可减轻氧化应激诱导的神经元细胞死亡。本研究旨在通过单次试验一步下降型被动回避和高架十字迷宫任务，评估石榴籽乙醇提取物对老年和东莨菪碱处理的年轻小鼠认知能力的影响。老年或东莨菪碱处理的小鼠在一步下降型被动回避和高架十字迷宫任务中表现出较差的记忆保持能力。石榴提取物和维生素C连续给药（21天）显著（p<0.05）逆转了两种范式中年龄诱导或东莨菪碱诱导的记忆保持缺陷。石榴提取物还显著降低了脑组织中的脂质过氧化水平，并提高了抗氧化剂谷胱甘肽水平。石榴制剂在治疗痴呆症和阿尔茨海默病等认知障碍方面可能具有保护作用。
