The effect of Zingiber officinalis L. on learning and memory in rats

A B S T R A C T Background and Objective: According to the importance of learning and memory in the human life and also unavoidable neural degeneration due to aging, finding new compounds (drugs) against this process is valuable. However, there are many recommendations for herbal medicine and constituents which encouraged us to examine a candidate plant Zingiber officinalis for the mentioned purpose. Materials and Methods: Male rats (250-300 g) were divided into control and treatment groups. Treatment groups consist of three subgroups including oral (plant was prescribed to animals mixed in food at a ratio of 6.25%) for 2 weeks, and two groups that received the plant extract at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg (intraperitoneal, IP). In order to investigate the spatial recognition (alternation) behavior and acquisition-recalling (step through latency, STL), the animals were subjected to Y maze and shuttle box tests, respectively. Results: In our study, the difference of the initial latency (IL) in oral treatment groups (8.24±1.21 s) and injection (50 and 100 mg/kg) groups versus control group (14.28±1.45 s) were non-significant. However, step through latency (STL) time difference for oral (18.12±0.8 s) group versus control one (13.28±1.33 s) was significant (p<0.05). Alternation behavior percentage in injection group (100 mg/kg) and oral one was significant versus control animals (p<0.05). Conclusion: Oral and intraperitoneal administration of the Zingiber officinalis could have a significant improving effect on acquisition, retention and recall