European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

NOOTROPIC ACTIVITY OF TRANS-ANETHOLE IN YOUNG AND MIDDLE- AGED MICE: POSSIBLY MEDIATED THROUGH INHIBITION OF BRAIN ACETYL- AND BUTYRYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITIES AND ALLEVIATION OF OXIDATIVE STRESS

Dinesh Dhingra* and Kapil Soni

ABSTRACT

The present study was undertaken to explore the effect of trans-anethole on cognitive functions of Swiss albino male young and middle aged mice. Trans-anethole (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg, po) and donepezil (3 mg/kg, ip) per se were administered to separate groups of mice for 10 successive days. Morris water maze and elevated plus maze were employed as exteroceptive behavioral models to study the effect of drugs on learning and memory of mice. Trans-anethole and donepezil significantly improved learning of young as well as aged mice, as indicated by decrease in escape latency time during training session in Morris water maze. Moreover, trans-anethole and donepezil significantly enhanced memory of young as well as aged mice as shown by increase in time spent in target quadrant of Morris water maze and significant decrease in transfer latency in elevated plus maze during retrieval session. Trans-anethole and donepezil did not show any significant effect on locomotor activities of mice. Memory-enhancing activity of trans-anethole (50 mg/kg) was found to be comparable to donepezil. Trans-anethole significantly reversed scopolamine-, sodium nitrite- and aging-induced amnesia in mice. Moreover, trans-anethole significantly attenuated oxidative stress, as shown by a significant decrease in brain malondialdehyde as well as brain nitrite levels and a significant increase in brain GSH levels as well as brain catalase levels in aged mice. Brain acetylcholinesterase as well as butyrylcholinesterase activities were also significantly inhibited by trans-anethole in aged mice. Hence, trans-anethole administered for 10 successive days exhibited significant memory improving activity in young and middle-aged mice possibly through increase in brain cholinergic activity and alleviation of brain oxidative stress.

Keywords: Trans-anethole; Learning; Memory; Nootropic; Amnesia, Aging.