Inhibitory effect of Thymus vulgaris extract on memory impairment induced by scopolamine in rat

• Main Authors: Zahra Rabiei, Shiva Mokhtari, Samira Asgharzade, Mostafa Gholami, Samira Rahnama, Mahmoud Rafieian-kopaei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-10-01
• Series: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Subjects: Thymus vulgaris; Memory and learning; Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; Scopolamine
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115001392

Objective: To investigate the effect of Thymus vulgaris (T. vulgaris) on learning and memory functions in scopolamine-induced memory deficit in rats. Memory enhancing activity in scopolamine-induced amnesic rats was investigated by assessing the Morris water maze and passive avoidance paradigm. Methods: A total of 42 male Wistar rats were divided into 6 equal groups as follow: control group: received water, scopolamine treated group: received scopolamine 1 mg/kg for 15 days, two scopolamine + T. vulgaris treated groups: received scopolamine and T. vulgaris extract 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 days, two intact groups: received T. vulgaris extract 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day for 15 days. Results: Administration of T. vulgaris extract significantly restored memory and learning impairments induced by scopolamine in the passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test. Conclusions: T. vulgaris extract has repairing effects on memory and behavioral disorders produced by scopolamine and may have beneficial effects in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.