Abstract
Hippocampus plays a central role in the acquisition and recall of both episodic and spatial memory. Studies have shown that garlic has neuroprotective effects in various capacities and enhancement of different forms of memory. However, the effect of garlic spatial memory and direct effect of garlic extract on the activities of membrane bound enzymes Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase in the hippocampus of rat still remain elusive. Therefore, we studied the effect of ethanolic extract of garlic on spatial working memory using object location memory OLM test and the hippocampal Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase activities. Sixteen male wistar rats weighted 120 - 150 g were used and divided into two groups of eight rats each. The control and experimental groups were treated 1ml of normal saline and 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanolic extract of garlic respectively orally for three weeks. OLM test was carried out on the two groups. Animals were sacrificed and the brains were removed, and hippocampi were carefully excised and homogenate was obtained. Homogenate was analyzed for Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase activities. There was significant increase in the exploration time in experimental group when compared with control group (p +/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase activities in experimental group when compared with control group (p +/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase. Our findings provide potential mechanism and therapeutic target for memory deficit neurological disorders.
Highlights
Crude herbal extracts of aromatic plants have been in use for myriad benefits such as drugs, food and perfumery since time immemorial [1]
Our findings show that garlic extract enhances spatial working which might be mediated through increase activity of Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase
Experimental group showed clear preference for the object moved to a novel location in comparison to the object remained in the familiar location, as these rats spent 70% of their object exploration time with the object that moved to a novel location (Figure 1)
Summary
Crude herbal extracts of aromatic plants have been in use for myriad benefits such as drugs, food and perfumery since time immemorial [1]. Na+/K+ ATPase is a membrane bound enzyme involved in maintaining the Na+ and K+ gradient across the cell membrane. Inhibition of Na+/K+ ATPase activity produces edema and cell death at CNS level and impairs learning and memory. No study has assessed the effect of ethanolic extract of garlic on spatial memory using object location behavioural task. The direct effect of any forms of garlic on hippocampal membrane bound enzymes Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase is not known. We investigated the effect of ethanolic extract of garlic on hippocampal-dependent cognitive function such as object location memory and evaluate the Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase activities in hippocampus. Our findings show that garlic extract enhances spatial working which might be mediated through increase activity of Na+/K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase
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