Synergistic Effect of the Combination of Ethanolic Extract of Piper cubeba and Polyherbal Formulation Triphala on Learning and Memory Enhancement against Scopolamine Induced Amnesia in Mice

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is the fourth most common cause of death which estimated that, by 2030 more than 65 million people of world will be living with dementia. Cognition enhancers attenuate some aspects of brain dysfunction by acting on cholinergic system but having limited use. About 75-80% of world population still mainstay on use of traditional medicine. In the present study, ethanolic extract of Piper cubeba L. (Piperaceae) and its combination with Ayurvedic preparation triphala was evaluated for learning and memory enhancement activity against scopolamine induced amnesia. The passive avoidance behavioral model showed significant (P<0.001) decrease in step down latency for scopolamine injected group whereas extract treated group significantly (P<0.01) apposed the action of scopolamine. However, combination of extract and triphala exhibited more significant (P<0.001) action. Similarly, in Y-maze task, there was significant (P<0.001) increase in percentage same arm returns, decreased alternate arm returns and spontaneous alternations in scopolamine treated group, indicating memory impairment and these changes were significantly (P<0.001) reversed in extract as well as its combination with triphala treated group, suggesting improvement in learning and short term memory function. The extract also exhibited significant reduction in total cholesterol level against Triton-WR 1339 induced acute hypercholesterolemia which represents inhibition of deposition of cellular Aβ- protein and thus reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, it concludes that, combination of ethanolic extract of Piper cubeba and triphala exhibited synergistic effect on improvement of learning and memory function by modulating cholinergic function in hippocampus region of brain.