POTENTIAL MEMORY ENHANCING EFFECT OF CASSIA OCCIDENTALIS LINN. IN ANIMAL MODEL

Prajakta Kishor Bansod*, Deepak Suresh Mohale and Anil Vishwanath Chandewar

ABSTRACT

The current study investigates the therapeutic potential of Cassia occidentalis Linn. extract in the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Experimental animals were randomly divided into five groups. AD was induced in rats of Groups II, III, IV and V using a restraint stress model, wherein animals were subjected to physical restraint with saline bottles for 06 continuous hours daily over a period of 28 days. Group I served as the normal control and received only saline. Group III was administered the standard drug Rivastigmine (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) (Onor et. al., 2007) for 28 days. Groups IV and V received Cassia occidentalis Linn. methanolic extract orally at doses of 200 mg/kg (low) and 400 mg/kg (high), respectively. Cognitive performance and memory impairment were assessed using the Conditioned Avoidance Response (CAR), Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Morris Water Maze (MWM) tests at the end of the experimental protocol. Findings revealed that both low and high doses of Cassia occidentalis Linn. extract significantly (p < 0.01) reduced escape latency in the CAR test and transfer latency in the EPM test, when compared to the negative control group (Group II). Additionally, MWM results indicated a notable increase in retention time and a reduction in escape latency in extract-treated groups, demonstrating improved spatial learning and memory. These results suggest that Cassia occidentalis Linn. methanolic extract effectively ameliorates cognitive deficits and memory impairment in restraint stress-induced Alzheimer’s rat models.

Keywords: Alzheimer, stress, Cassia occcidentalis Linn., dementia, memory, elevated plus maze (EPM), morris water maze (MWM).