The effects of Ethanolic Extract in Dried Fruits of Terminalia chebula on learning and memory in mice

Abstract

In the traditional medicinal practices, several formulations containing Terminalia chebula are used for cognitive improvement. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia disorder of elderly affecting millions of people. The pathophysiology of the disease is complex and involves multiple pathways of neuronal damage. In the present study Nootropic acitivity of Ethanolic Extract Of Terminalia chebula was studied in mice. In order to evaluate the beneficial effect of Terminalia chebula on learning and memory, an experimental study was conducted in normal male mice. In this study we used a Shuttle Box device to evaluate the active avoidance learning and memory in mice. Different doses of ethanolic extract of Terminalia chebula (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) were administered to animals in the test groups. The learning ability and memory recalls were assessed and compared statistically with those of control animals. Our data showed that during the learning procedure the mean numbers of free shock trials in the test groups were increased compared with the control group but the difference was significant only in the case of the 100 mg/kg Terminalia chebula extract. In the short- and long-term memory assessments the animals in the test groups received less shocks than the control group and the differences were significant in the case of the 100 and 200 mg/kg Terminalia chebula extract. Our findings indicate that acute administrations of ethanolic extracts of Terminalia chebula enhance the learning and memory recall ability in mice in an inverse dose-dependent manner.