Natural inhibitors for acetylcholinesterase and autophagy modulators as effective antagonists for tau and β-amyloid in Alzheimer’s rat model

Abstract

Background: Phytochemicals have amazing biological effects in relation to age-related illnesses and are increasingly being studied in clinical trials. The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the aqueous extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Rosemary) and Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) and their combinations as tau and β-amyloid antagonists in an Alzheimer’s rat model. Methods: AlCl3 and D-galactose (150 & 300 mg/kg) were used to create the Alzheimer’s neuroinflammation rat model. The animals were subsequently given the two extracts and their combinations (500 mg/kg) along 15 days. The cognitive impairment, oxidative stress, tau & amyloid neuroproteins, acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase neurotransmitters, proinflammatory cytokines, LC3 as an autophagy marker, computational analysis, and morphological alterations were all assessed. Results: When compared to the conventional donepezil and normal groups, the treated groups showed a significant improvement in all calculated parameters. The cortex and hippocampus have a better morphological appearance. In silico analysis found that these extracts may have an affinity for and impede the activity of some proteins thought to be essential regulators of disease progression. Conclusion: Rosemary and Saffron extracts by the power of their constituents were able to alleviate the neurotoxicity of AlCl3 & D-galactose and regulate the natural autophagy process.