The Effect Of Cyperus Rotundus Ethanolic Extract On Motor Coordination In A Rat Model Of Alzheimer

Background and Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disorder that leads to progressive cognitive decline. The memory dysfunction of AD has been associated with a cortical cholinergic deficiency and loss of cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM). This study investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of Cyperus rotundu tubers (CRT) on motor activity in NBM-lesioned rat model of AD and intact rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study 49 Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups. For this purpose, Wistar rats received bilateral electric lesions of the NBM. The control and sham groups received distilled water while NBM-lesioned group received CRT extract for 20 days with doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. Intact rats received CRT extract for 20 days without any surgery. The motor activity was assessed with Rotarod apparatus. Data were analyzed using one- way Anova and LSD test. Results: Use of ethanolic extract of CRT for 20 days improved motor activity in NBM-lesioned rats that received extract with a dose of 100 mg/kg. Ethanolic extract of CRT in the intact rats for 20 days significantly reduced motor activity when compared with the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that ethanolic extract of CRT is useful in NBM-induced lesion rats via inducing some changes in acetylcholine levels in the brain

Effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Ziziphus jujuba on the peripheral blood cells in Balb/c mice

Introduction: In the Iranian traditional medicine, Ziziphus jujuba is recommended for treatment of anemia, but no investigation has addressed this issue. In the present study, the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of this plant was evaluated on the peripheral blood cells in male Balb/c mice. Methods: Hydro-alcoholic extract was prepared from the fruits of the Ziziphus jujuba. Male mice were injected with normal saline or the extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg, i.p.) for a period of two weeks. Afterwards, the mice were anesthetized and blood samples were taken from their hearts and then the peripheral blood was evaluated by a Cell Counter apparatus. White blood cells differential analysis was manually performed under a microscope. Data was statistically analyzed using One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc test. Results: Ziziphus jujuba extracts (100 and 400 mg/kg) caused a significant reduction in the percentages of monocytes and neutrophils, respectively (P0.05). Conclusion: Findings of this study show that Ziziphus jujuba extract increases the percentage of lymphocytes and also reduces the percentage of monocytes and neutrophils

Evaluating the analgesic effect of Cucurbita maxima Duch hydro-alcoholic extract in rats

Background and aims: Cucurbita maxima Duch (CMD) is used as sedative for tooth and ear pain, but its analgesic effect has not been research in experimental studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of CMD was studied using formalin model in rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 60 Rats were randomly divided into 6 equal groups. Control group was injected distilled water and three experimental groups were injected CMD extracts (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). Group 5 received ibuprofen and group 6 received naloxone with the most effective dose of the extract. Extract or drugs were injected 15 minutes before formalin injection. The responses of animals to pain were recorded for 30 min. after the formalin injection. Responses of first 0-5 min. were considered as acute pain and responses of 15-30 min. as chronic pain. Results: CRM extracts reduced acute pain in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg (P<0.001). In addition, the extract decreased chronic pain in all used concentrations compared to the control group (P<0.001). Naloxone inhibited analgesic effect of the extract (P<0.05). Conclusion: CRM extracts reduce acute and chronic pains in formalin test through opioid system and it might be used as an analgesic drug

Evaluating the effect of foeniculum vulgar on scopolamin-induced memory impairment in Male Mice

Background: Estrogen is a steroid that regardless of its obvious effects on females’ reproductive functions shows beneficial effects on cognition. Foeniculum vulgar (fennel) has phytoestrogen compounds that might be beneficial in memory performance. This research was performed to understand if this plant can improve memory. Methods: To evaluate memory, novel object recognition task was used in male Balb-c mice, which comprised of three sections: habituation, learning trial (T1) and the test trial (T2). In this method, the difference in the exploration time between a familial (F) and a novel (N) object is taken as an index of memory performance [recognition index (RI) = (N – F)/(N + F) × 100]. Findings: Memory was harmed using 0.5 mg/kg subcutaneous scopolamine [RI (%) = -16.0 ± 3.0]. 50 mg/kg intraperitoneal fennel considerably prevented memory impairment of scopolamine [RI (%) = 35.0 ± 7.1] and this was parallel with the memory index in normal animals [RI (%) = 50.0 ± 5.8]. In addition, 0.2 mg/kg intraperitoneal 17-β estradiol showed similar results as fennel on memory protection [RI (%) = 36.0 ± 6.6]. However, the beneficial effects of fennel were impaired by prior intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg tamoxifen [RI (%) = -29.0 ± 7.1]. Conclusion: The beneficial effect of fennel on memory is achieved by estrogenic receptors present in the brain; by stimulating these receptors, they could cause an increase in acetylcholine release. Therefore, it can competitively prevent the antagonizing effect of scopolamine on cholinergic receptors. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved. Evaluating the effect of foeniculum vulgar on scopolamin-induced memory impairment in Male Mice. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282273930_Evaluating_the_effect_of_foeniculum_vulgar_on_scopolamin-induced_memory_impairment_in_Male_Mice [accessed Jul 29, 2017]

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Spatial Learning

Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying learning and memory is one of the most exciting topics in the field of Neuroscience. Learning is thought to occur through activity-dependent synaptic modification in the neuronal network. The hippocampus, is an excellent structure to study synaptic plasticity and learning, because of its anatomy and network. Most of the studies in this thesis were performed on the hippocampus to unravel the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying spatial learning. Molecular and cellular studies of mechanisms underlying mammalian learning and memory have focused almost exclusively on postsynaptic function. However, in chapter 2 we reveal a presynaptic mechanism that modulates learning and synaptic plasticity in mice. Using transgenic mice expressing a constitutively active form of H-ras (H- rasG12V), we studied the H-Ras/ERK/Syn I pathway and showed that in these mice ERK-dependent phosphorylation of synansin I is increased and causes several presynaptic changes. Calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a protein kinase, which detects Ca2+ signals and can phosphorylate many target proteins as well as itself. This auto-phosphorylation is critical for its role in LTP and learning. However, in chapter 3 we show that although CaMKII is required for normal presynaptic function, its ability to phospho

Effect of ethanolic extract of beet roots and leaves on motor coordination in male Wistar rats

زمینه و هدف: عدم تعادل حرکتی در اثر عوامل مختلفی از جمله ضایعات مغزی عصبی، مشکلات عضلانی، کم خونی و مصرف داروها رخ می دهد. گیاه چغندر با نام علمی Beta vulgaris L. دارای اثرات متنوع از جمله اثرات ضد التهابی، آنتی اکسیدانی، ضد استیل کولین استرازی و کاهش قند خون می باشد که در این مطالعه اثر عصاره اتانولی برگ و ریشه این گیاه بر تعادل حرکتی بررسی شده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی عصاره اتانولی ریشه و برگ گیاه چغندر به روش ماسراسیون تهیه شد. موش های صحرایی نر بالغ به طور تصادفی در 7 گروه 8 تایی تقسیم شدند و به مدت 25 روز آب مقطر، دوزهای مختلف عصاره ریشه (250،500 و mg/kg1000) و برگ چغندر (50 و mg/kg100) را به صورت داخل صفاقی دریافت کردند. روز 26، نیم ساعت بعد از آخرین تزریق قدرت حفظ تعادل حرکتی موش ها به وسیله روتارود اندازه گیری شد. یافته ها: عصاره ریشه چغندر در دوزهای 500 و mg/kg1000 سبب افزایش معنی دار در تعادل حرکتی شد (p0.05). نتیجه گیری: عصاره های ریشه و برگ گیاه چغندر باعث بهبود فعالیت حرکتی در موش های صحرایی نر بالغ می شود

Rescue of neurological deficits in a mouse model for Angelman Syndrome by reduction of αCaMKII inhibitory phosphorylation

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a severe neurological disorder characterized by mental retardation, motor dysfunction and epilepsy. We now show that the molecular and cellular deficits of an AS mouse model can be rescued by introducing an additional mutation at the inhibitory phosphorylation site of αCaMKII. Moreover, these double mutants do no longer show the behavioral deficits seen in AS mice, suggesting that these deficits are the direct result of increased αCaMKII inhibitory phosphorylation

Effect of alcoholic extract of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaffarian on ileum contractions in rats

Background and objective: Kelussia odoratissima Mozaffarian (Umbelliferae family) is one of the Iranian medicinal plants that have nutritional and pharmacological effects. In Iranian traditional medicine, it has been mentioned that this plant has antispasmodic effect and it is used for the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunctions, such as abdominal pain. In this study, we evaluated the effect of alcoholic extract of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaffarian on ileum contractions in rats. Method: Alcoholic extracts were prepared from powdered Kelussia leaves. Ileum samples were placed in an organ bath containing tyrode solution and 1g tension was used before inducing ileum isotonic contraction with KCl (60 mM). Saline or extracts (10% and 20%) were added to the bath and responses were recorded. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey HSD test. Findings: Our results demonstrated that both concentrations of Kelussia significantly reduced the KCl-induced contraction in isolated rat ileum compared to the control (saline) group (p<0.001). No significant difference was observed between the two groups which had received 10% and 20% extracts. Conclusion: In general, it can be concluded that alcoholic extracts of Kelussia odoratissima Mozaffarian inhibit pre-induced contractions in isolated rat ileum and can be used for reduction of intestinal spasms. More experiments are needed to unravel the mechanism underlying this effect

Evaluation of anti-depression, antioxidant and motor coordination effects of Cucurbita Maxima Duch hydro-alcoholic extract in rats

Abstract Objectives: In traditional medicine, Cucurbita maxima Duch is known as a sedating plant. In Islamic medicine, this plant is widely used for the treatment of depression. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-depression, antioxidant and motor coordination effects of this medicinal herb. Materials and Methods: In this study, hydroalcoholic extract of Cucurbita maxima Duch was prepared using maceration methods, and animals were divided into four groups. Control subjects received normal saline, and experimental subjects received the