Neuroprotective role of medicinal plant extracts evaluated in a scopolamine-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Background:Alzheimer's disease is a debilitating neurological brain disease with memory impairment among the first signs. Scopolamine (SCO), a muscarinic receptor antagonist that disrupts cognition and memory acquisition, is considered a psychopharmacological AD model. We investigate the effectiveness of medicinal plants in mitigating the SCO-induced neurobehavioural damage in rats. Materials and Methods: Animals were injected with Scopolamine hydrobromide trihydrate (2.2 mg/kg IP.) daily for 2 months. Each treatment group was administered one of four medicinal spice extracts (Nigella sativa, 400 mg/kg; rosemary, 200 mg/kg; sage, 600 mg/kg and ginseng; 200 mg/kg 90 minutes after SCO injection. Animals were subjected to cognitive-behavioural tests (NOR, Y-maze and MWM). After the experiment, we extracted the brains for histopathological examination and biochemical assessment for oxidative stress (levels of TT, CAT and TBARS) and gene expression of acetylcholinesterase and brain monoamines. Results: As expected, SCO treatment impaired memory and cognition, increased oxidative stress, decreased neurotransmitters and caused severe neurodegenerative changes in the brain. Conclusion: Surprisingly, these effects were measurably moderated by the administration of all four plant extracts, indicating a neuroprotective action that we suggest could alleviate AD disease manifestations.

Therapeutic Potential of Date Palm Pollen for Testicular Dysfunction Induced by Thyroid Disorders in Male Rats.

Hyper- or hypothyroidism can impair testicular function leading to infertility. The present study was designed to examine the protective effect of date palm pollen (DPP) extract on thyroid disorder-induced testicular dysfunction. Rats were divided into six groups. Group I was normal control. Group II received oral DPP extract (150 mg kg(-1)), group III (hyperthyroid group) received intraperitoneal injection of L-thyroxine (L-T4, 300 µg kg(-1); i.p.), group IV received L-T4 plus DPP extract, group V (hypothyroid group) received propylthiouracil (PTU, 10 mg kg(-1); i.p.) and group VI received PTU plus DPP extract. All treatments were given every day for 56 days. L-T4 or PTU lowered genital sex organs weight, sperm count and motility, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone (T), testicular function markers and activities of testicular 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD) and 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17ß-HSD). Moreover, L-T4 or PTU increased estradiol (E2) serum level, testicular oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptotic markers. Morphometric and histopathologic studies backed these observations. Treatment with DPP extract prevented LT4- or PTU induced changes. In addition, supplementation of DPP extract to normal rats augmented sperm count and motility, serum levels of LH, T and E2 paralleled with increased activities of 3ß-HSD and 17ß-HSD as well as testicular antioxidant status. These results provide evidence that DPP extract may have potential protective effects on testicular dysfunction induced by altered thyroid hormones.