Seasonal Variation in Essential Oil Compositions and Antioxidant Properties of Acorus calamus L. Accessions

Harvest time optimization for medicinal and aromatic plant secondary metabolites

Plant secondary metabolites (SMs) play a crucial role in shielding plants from pathogens and environmental stressors. These natural products find widespread applications across various industries, including pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and healthcare. However, the quantity and quality of these compounds in plants can be influenced by factors such as genetics, morphology, plant age, and the seasonal and daily variations. The timing of harvest holds particular significance for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) as their active compounds peak at a specific moment during the plant growth cycle. Determining the optimal harvest time is essential to ensure the plants meet their intended cultivation goal. In this review, we analyzed how developmental and external factors impact the qualitative and quantitative effectiveness of SMs in MAPs. We examined recent studies on the effects of environmental and developmental factors on SMs of MAPs, compiling relevant data for analysis. The results of this review demonstrate how these factors influence the quantity and quality of plant SMs, underscoring the importance of determining the optimal harvest time (known as the balsamic time) to maximize the utilization of these compounds. Our findings offer crucial insights into the factors affecting SMs, serving as a tool for quality control in MAPs production. Moreover, this review can be a valuable resource for researchers, farmers, and industrial users aiming to optimize plant growth and harvest timing for maximum yield. Overall, our review provides valuable information for devising effective strategies to produce high-quality MAPs products.

The impact of seasonal variation on the composition of the volatile oil of Polyalthia suberosa (Roxb.) Thwaites leaves and evaluation of its acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity

BACKGROUND

Polyalthia suberosa (Roxb.) Thwaites (Annonaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been reported for its various pharmacological potentials, such as its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and neuropharmacological activities. This study aimed to analyze the leaf essential oils of P. suberosa (PSLO) collected in different seasons, to evaluate the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity, and to corroborate the obtained results via in-silico molecular docking studies.

METHODS

The leaf essential oils of P. suberosa collected in different seasons were analyzed separately by GC/MS. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of the leaves oil was assessed via colorimetric assay. In-silico molecular docking studies were elucidated by virtual docking of the main compounds identified in P. suberosa leaf essential oil to the active sites in human acetylcholinesterase crystal structure.

RESULTS

A total of 125 compounds were identified where D-limonene (0.07 - 24.7%), α-copaene (2.25 - 15.49%), E-β-caryophyllene (5.17 - 14.42%), 24-noroleana-3,12-diene (12.92%), β-pinene (0.14 - 8.59%), and α-humulene (2.49-6.9%) were the most abundant components. Results showed a noteworthy influence of the collection season on the chemical composition and yield of the volatile oils. The tested oil adequately inhibited acetylcholinesterase enzyme with an IC50 value of 91.94 µg/mL. Additionally, in-silico molecular docking unveiled that palmitic acid, phytol, p-cymene, and caryophyllene oxide demonstrated the highest fitting scores within the active sites of human acetylcholinesterase enzyme.

CONCLUSIONS

From these findings, it is concluded that P. suberosa leaf oil should be evaluated as a food supplement for enhancing memory.

A network pharmacological approach for the identification of potential therapeutic targets of Brahmi Nei - a complex traditional Siddha formulation

Brahmi Nei (BN), a traditional Indian polyherbal formulation has been described in classical texts for the treatment of anxiety and depression, as well as to fortify the immune system. The individual herbs of BN have been used for treatment of wide range of disorders including cognition, inflammation, skin ailments and cancer etc., This diverse basket of therapeutic activity suggests that BN may possess therapeutic benefits to other disorders. So, the present study aims to identify the potential therapeutic targets of BN using a network pharmacological approach to comprehend the multi target action of its multiple phytoconstituents. We have employed Randić Index for the first time to calculate the contribution score of module segregated targets towards diseases. Our results suggests that BN targets could also be effective in other diseases such as lysosomal storage disorders, respiratory disorders etc., apart from neurological disorders. The key targets with highest topological measures of Targets-(Pathway)-Targets network were identified as potential therapeutic targets of BN. And the top hit target PTGS2, a gene encoding for cyclooxygenase-2 was further evaluated using molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation and in vitro studies. Our findings open up new therapeutic facets for BN that can be explored systematically in future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Insecticidal Properties of Chemically Characterized Essential Oils Extracted from Mentha longifolia: In Vitro and In Silico Analysis

The present study aimed to explore the phytochemical profile, and evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticidal properties, of Moroccan Mentha longifolia L. essential oil (ML-EO) using in vitro and in silico assays. Noteworthily, as chromatography (GC-MS/MS) revealed that ML-EO is majorly composed of piperitenone oxide (53.43%), caryophyllene (20.02%), and (-) germacrene D (16.53%). It possesses excellent antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 1.49 ± 0.00 for DPPH and 0.051 ± 0.06 μg/mL for ABTS. Moreover, the RP and TAC activities were 0.80 ± 0.01 μg/mL and 315.532 ± 0.00 mg EAA/g, respectively. ML-EO exhibited a potent antimicrobial effect, specifically against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It also exhibited strong antifungal ability, especially against Candida albicans. Regarding insecticidal activity, for ML-EO, a dose of 20 µL/mL produced a complete reduction in fecundity, fertility, and emergence of adult C. maculatus with mortality rates reaching 100%. In silico results showed that the antioxidant activity is mostly attributed to α-Cadinol, the antibacterial efficiency is attributed to piperitenone oxide, and antifungal capacity is related to cis-Muurola-4(15),5-diene and piperitenone oxide. Accordingly, ML-EO has high potential to be used as an alternative for preserving food and stored grain and protecting them against microbes and insect pests in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

Influence of Season and Habitat on the Essential Oils Composition, Allelopathy, and Antioxidant Activities of Artemisia monosperma Delile

Plants belonging to the Artemisia genus (Asteraceae) are widely distributed worldwide and have many ethnopharmacological, traditional, therapeutic, and phytochemical aspects. Artemisia monosperma is an important aromatic plant due to its traditional and therapeutic uses and phytochemical diversity, including essential oils (EOs). The EO chemical profile of aromatic plants has been reported to be affected by exogenous and endogenous factors. Geographic and seasonal variations are crucial factors shaping the chemical composition of the EO. Herein, the variations of the yields, chemical profiles, and allelopathic and antioxidant activities of A. monosperma EOs collected from three regions in four seasons were assessed. A slight variation in the oil yields was observed among regions and seasons, while the chemical profile, characterized via GC-MS, exhibited significant quantitative and qualitative variation among either regions or seasons. Sesquiterpenes were the main components of all EOs, with significant variation in concentration. In most EO samples, the summer-plant samples had the highest concentration of sesquiterpenes, followed by spring, winter, and autumn. The 7-epi-trans-sesquisabinene hydrate, 6-epi-shyobunol, dehydro-cyclolongifolene oxide, isoshyobunone, diepicedrene-1-oxide, dehydro-aromadendrene, and junipene were the main compounds of all the EO samples. The extracted EOs of the A. monosperma samples showed considerable allelopathic activity against the weed Dactyloctenium aegyptium and the crop Lactuca sativa. A significant variation in allelopathic activity was observed among samples collected during different seasons, while the samples of the autumn and summer seasons had more potential. Also, L. sativa was more affected by the EO compared to D. aegyptium, reflecting that weeds are more resistant to allelochemicals. In this context, the EOs of A. monosperma samples exhibited substantial antioxidant activity with the same pattern of allelopathic activity, whereas the samples of the autumn and summer seasons showed higher antioxidant activity. These biological activities of the EOs could be ascribed to the higher content of oxygenated compounds. The present study revealed that seasons have a substantial effect on EO production as well as composition. In consequence, the biological activities varied with the variation of the chemical profile of the EO. These results show the importance of season/timing for sampling aromatic plants.

Critical Review on Nutritional, Bioactive, and Medicinal Potential of Spices and Herbs and Their Application in Food Fortification and Nanotechnology

Medicinal or herbal spices are grown in tropical moist evergreen forestland, surrounding most of the tropical and subtropical regions of Eastern Himalayas in India (Sikkim, Darjeeling regions), Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, a few Central Asian countries, Middle East, USA, Europe, South East Asia, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. According to the cultivation region surrounded, economic value, and vogue, these spices can be classified into major, minor, and colored tropical spices. In total, 24 tropical spices and herbs (cardamom, black jeera, fennel, poppy, coriander, fenugreek, bay leaves, clove, chili, cassia bark, black pepper, nutmeg, black mustard, turmeric, saffron, star anise, onion, dill, asafoetida, celery, allspice, kokum, greater galangal, and sweet flag) are described in this review. These spices show many pharmacological activities like anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, and antioxidant activities. Numerous bioactive compounds are present in these selected spices, such as 1,8-cineole, monoterpene hydrocarbons, γ-terpinene, cuminaldehyde, trans-anethole, fenchone, estragole, benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, piperine, linalool, malabaricone C, safrole, myristicin, elemicin, sinigrin, curcumin, bidemethoxycurcumin, dimethoxycurcumin, crocin, picrocrocin, quercetin, quercetin 4'-O-β-glucoside, apiol, carvone, limonene, α-phellandrene, galactomannan, rosmarinic acid, limonene, capsaicinoids, eugenol, garcinol, and α-asarone. Other than that, various spices are used to synthesize different types of metal-based and polymer-based nanoparticles like zinc oxide, gold, silver, selenium, silica, and chitosan nanoparticles which provide beneficial health effects such as antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic, enzyme retardation effect, and antimicrobial activity. The nanoparticles can also be used in environmental pollution management like dye decolorization and in chemical industries to enhance the rate of reaction by the use of catalytic activity of the nanoparticles. The nutritional value, phytochemical properties, health advantages, and both traditional and modern applications of these spices, along with their functions in food fortification, have been thoroughly discussed in this review.

A combined in vitro-in silico approach for the discovery of novel endogenous enzymatic and ctDNA sequence of bioactive molecules from aerial and root parts of Centaurea sulphurea as antioxidant's agents

The excess free radicals not neutralized by the antioxidant defenses damage the essential macromolecules of our cells, causing abnormalities in the expression of genes and membrane receptors, cell proliferation or death, immune disorders, mutagenesis, deposits of proteins or lipofuschin in tissues. The first objective of this study was to elucidate the composition of the essential oil of the aerial and root part of Centaurea sulphurea during beginning of the vegetative cycle (March), beginning of the flowering stage (April) and full bloom (May/June) using GC/FID and GC/MS. The second aim was to describe the antioxidant activity using three methods (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), β-carotene bleaching assay) and bioinformatical study of ctDNA sequence and three endogenous enzymes inhibition. The essential oils obtained from the root during the full bloom period consisted mainly of caryophyllene oxide, aplotaxene and (Z)-phytol. While, the aerial parts were dominated by caryophyllene oxide, verridiflorol and humulene epoxide II. The results showed that essential oil presented an excellent antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values of 2.06 g/L and 1.29 g/L, for aerial and root parts, compared to butylated hydroxyltoluene (BHT) and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) controls and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) co-crystallized inhibitor. The results of the molecular docking revealed that (Z)-phytol (Ligand 39) has an affinity to interact with ctDNA sequence, and three targets Endogenous enzymes. The molecular dynamics study was conducted for the best inhibitors (Z)-phytol. A few key residues were identified at the binding site of receptors. The in-silico assessment of the ADME properties and BOILED-Egg plot reveals that compound (Z)-phytol (L39) is permeable to the blood brain barrier and have high lipophilicity and high coefficient of skin permeability in the intestines with good bioavailability. The ADMET analysis also showed that this oxygenated diterpene is safer to replace the synthetic drugs with side effects. Further testing is needed to assess its effectiveness in reducing oxidative stress for use in the pharmaceutical industry.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential of α- and β-Asarone in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders are important causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. The increasing prevalence of neurological disorders, associated with an aging population, has intensified the societal burden associated with these diseases, for which no effective treatment strategies currently exist. Therefore, the identification and development of novel therapeutic approaches, able to halt or reverse neuronal loss by targeting the underlying causal factors that lead to neurodegeneration and neuronal cell death, are urgently necessary. Plants and other natural products have been explored as sources of safe, naturally occurring secondary metabolites with potential neuroprotective properties. The secondary metabolites α- and β-asarone can be found in high levels in the rhizomes of the medicinal plant Acorus calamus (L.). α- and β-asarone exhibit multiple pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current research on the therapeutic potential of α- and β-asarone in the treatment of neurological disorders, particularly neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), as well as cerebral ischemic disease, and epilepsy. Current research indicates that α- and β-asarone exert neuroprotective effects by mitigating oxidative stress, abnormal protein accumulation, neuroinflammation, neurotrophic factor deficit, and promoting neuronal cell survival, as well as activating various neuroprotective signalling pathways. Although the beneficial effects exerted by α- and β-asarone have been demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo animal studies, additional research is required to translate laboratory results into safe and effective therapies for patients with AD, PD, and other neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.

Herbal drugs and natural bioactive products as potential therapeutics: A review on pro-cognitives and brain boosters perspectives

Memory, one of the most vital aspects of the human brain, is necessary for the effective survival of an individual. 'Memory' can be defined in various ways but in an overall view, memory is the retention of the information that the brain grasps. Different factors are responsible for the disbalance in the brain's hippocampus region and the acetylcholine level, which masters the memory and cognitive functions. Plants are a source of pharmacologically potent drug molecules of high efficacy. Recently herbal medicine has evolved rapidly, gaining great acceptance worldwide due to their natural origin and fewer side effects. In this review, the authors have discussed the mechanisms and pharmacological action of herbal bioactive compounds to boost memory. Moreover, this review presents an update of different herbs and natural products that could act as memory enhancers and how they can be potentially utilized in the near future for the treatment of severe brain disorders. In addition, the authors also discuss the differences in biological activity of the same herb and emphasize the requirement for a higher standardization in cultivation methods and plant processing. The demand for further studies evaluating the interactions of herbal drugs is mentioned.

Mycorrhizal inoculation impact on Acorus calamus L. - An ethnomedicinal plant of western Himalaya and its in silico studies for anti-inflammatory potential

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Different plants are used for the treatment of various ailments and Acorus calamus L. is one such plant found in Western Himalaya. Rhizome of this plants has ethnomedicinal significance, as its rhizome is used for curing fever, pain and inflammation. An attempt has been made to alter the phytochemicals and increase its antioxidant property in a sustainable way with the help of mycorrhizal inoculation.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Study of mycorrhizal (Funneliformis mosseae) impact on the biological activities and phytochemical profile of A. calamus L. rhizome and in silico studies of phytochemicals for their anti-inflammatory property.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

F. mosseae was mass multiplied by single spore culture and then A. calamus rhizomes were inoculated with it. Antioxidant potential of rhizome extract was observed by DPPH and FRAP assays and the phytochemical profiling was done with GC-MS analysis. For observing antimicrobial activity disc diffusion method was employed. Dominant phytochemicals α-asarone and monolinolein TMS were chosen for molecular docking studies against four receptors (4COX, 2AZ5, 5I1B, 1ALU).

RESULTS

There was increase in antioxidant activity of rhizome extract after mycorrhizal inoculation. However, no change in antimicrobial activity was observed in the plant after mycorrhizal inoculation. The comparison in phytochemicals was observed by GC-MS analysis which showed qualitative and quantitative variation in biochemical content in plants. The phytochemical, α-asarone and monolinolein TMS showed highest docking score and least binding energy against 1ALU and 4COX respectively for anti-inflammatory activity.

CONCLUSION

Medicinal plants are potential source of antioxidants which can be increased by mycorrhizal inoculation without addition of chemical fertilizers and also results in altering the phytochemical composition.

Comparative Chemical Profiles of the Essential Oils from Different Varieties of Psidium guajava L

Guava (Psidium guajava) leaves are commonly used in the treatment of diseases. They are considered a waste product resulting from guava cultivation. The leaves are very rich in essential oils (EOs) and volatiles. This work represents the detailed comparative chemical profiles of EOs derived from the leaves of six guava varieties cultivated in Egypt, including Red Malaysian (RM), El-Qanater (EQ), White Indian (WI), Early (E), El-Sabahya El-Gedida (ESEG), and Red Indian (RI), cultivated on the same farm in Egypt. The EOs from the leaves of guava varieties were extracted by hydro-distillation and analyzed with GC-MS. The EOs were categorized in a holistic manner using chemometric tools. The hydro-distillation of the samples yielded 0.11-0.48% of the EO (v/w). The GC-MS analysis of the extracted EOs showed the presence of 38 identified compounds from the six varieties. The sesquiterpene compounds were recorded as main compounds of E, EQ, ESEG, RI, and WI varieties, while the RM variety attained the highest content of monoterpenes (56.87%). The sesquiterpenes, β-caryophyllene (11.21-43.20%), and globulol (76.17-26.42%) were detected as the major compounds of all studied guava varieties, while trans-nerolidol (0.53-10.14) was reported as a plentiful compound in all of the varieties except for the RM variety. A high concentration of D-limonene was detected in the EOs of the RM (33.96%), WI (27.04%), and ESEG (9.10%) varieties. These major compounds were consistent with those reported for other genotypes from different countries. Overall, the EOs' composition and the chemometric analysis revealed substantial variations among the studied varieties that might be ascribed to genetic variability, considering the stability of the cultivation and climate conditions. Therefore, this chemical polymorphism of the studied varieties supports that these varieties could be considered as genotypes of P. guajava. It is worth mentioning here that the EOs, derived from leaves considered to be agricultural waste, of the studied varieties showed that they are rich in biologically active compounds, particularly β-caryophyllene, trans-nerolidol, globulol, and D-limonene. These could be considered as added value for pharmacological and industrial applications. Further study is recommended to confirm the chemical variations of the studied varieties at a molecular level, as well as their possible medicinal and industrial uses.

β-Asarone Exerts Antioxidative Effects on H2O2-Stimulated PC12 Cells by Activating Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway

Oxidative stress-mediated neuron damage is considered an important contributor to the pathogenesis and development of neurodegenerative diseases. Although β-asarone is widely known for its neuroprotective pharmacological properties, the exact mechanism of β-asarone against oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate underlying mechanisms of β-asarone against oxidative damage in PC12 cells. Our results demonstrated that the treatment of β-asarone significantly alleviated the reduction in cell viability and the excessive accumulation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) by increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH). Moreover, β-asarone pretreatment also activated nuclear factor 2 erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream target heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which was involved in quenching reactive oxygen to inhibit oxidative stress. Furthermore, when silenced by Nrf2 siRNA, the protective effect of β-asarone was reduced and the oxidative stress induced by H2O2 was enhanced. In conclusion, our findings revealed that β-asarone could reduce oxidative stress via activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in PC12 cells, highlighting the potential therapeutic role of β-asarone in neurodegenerative diseases.

In Vitro Antioxidant and Bactericidal Efficacy of 15 Common Spices: Novel Therapeutics for Urinary Tract Infections?

Background and Objectives: Bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common ailment affecting all age groups in males and females. The commercial antibiotics usage augments antibiotics resistance and creates higher recurrence rates of such communal infections. Hence, this study is aimed at investigating the antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of 15 common spices against 11 UTI-causing bacterial pathogens. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant potential of the methanolic extracts was analyzed as contents of total phenols and flavonoids; radical scavenging, total reducing power, the ferric reducing power assay. Urinary pathogens were subjected to spice extracts to investigate antibacterial assays. Results: Preliminary phytochemical study of spices was performed to find those containing alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and steroids that can be recognized for their noteworthy bactericidal effects. The outcome of the antioxidative potential from the four methods demonstrated the sequence of potent antioxidant activity: Acorus calamus >Alpinia galanga > Armoracia rusticana > Capparis spinosa > Aframomum melegueta. The total polyphenols and flavonoids in the studied species positively correlated with their antioxidant properties. The four most effective spices (A. calamus, A. galanga, A. rusticana, and C. spinosa) had a zone of inhibition of at least 22 mm. A. calamus, A. melegueta, and C. spinosa had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value against Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis. All 15 spices had the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value against most of the pathogenic bacteria. Conclusion: The four highly potent and unique spices noted for the in vitro control of UTI-causing pathogens could be pursued further in the development of complementary and alternative medicine against UTI-causing pathogens.

Experimental evidence for use of Acorus calamus (asarone) for cancer chemoprevention

Cancer is one of the major non-communicable diseases posing substantial challenges in both developing and developed countries. The options available for treatment of different cancer are associated with various limitations, including severe toxicity, drug resistance, poor outcomes and a high risk of relapse. Hence, an increased attention and necessity for screening of various phytochemicals from natural sources for superior and safer alternative has been ongoing for several decades. In recent years, phytochemicals like galantamine, erwinaze, rivastigmine, resveratrol from natural sources have been found to be important therapeutic targets for the treatment of various diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and cardiovascular effects. Acorus calamus (Sweet flag), and/or its bioactive phytochemical alpha (α)-and beta (β)-asarone, is a well-known drug in the traditional system of medicine which possesses anti-tumor and chemo-preventive activities as evident from numerous pre-clinical studies both in-vitro and in-vivo. In this article, we critically review the current available scientific evidences of A. calamus and/or asarone for cancer chemoprevention based on preclinical in-vitro and in-vivo models. In addition, we also have compiled and discussed the molecular targets of mechanism(s) involved in the anti-cancer activity of A. calamus/asarone. Still, extensive in-vivo studies are necessary using various animal models to understand the molecular mechanism behind the pharmacological activity of the bioactive phytochemicals derived from A. calamus. It is strongly believed that the comprehensive evidence presented in this article could deliver a possible source for researchers to conduct future studies pertaining to A. calamus and/or its bioactive phytochemicals asarone for cancer chemoprevention.

Geraniol and linalool anticandidal activity, genotoxic potential and embryotoxic effect on zebrafish

Aim: Geraniol and linalool are major constituents of the essential oils of medicinal plants. Materials & methods: Antifungal activity of geraniol and linalool were evaluated against five Candida species. The genotoxicity of these compounds was evaluated by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test, and the embryotoxic assays use zebrafish model. Results: Geraniol and linalool inhibited Candida growth, but geraniol was more effective. The geraniol at concentration of 800 μg/ml and the linalool at concentration of 125 μg/ml significantly increased chromosome damage. Geraniol was more toxic to zebrafish embryo than linalool: LC50 values were 31.3 and 193.3 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Geraniol and linalool have anticandidal activity, but they also exert genotoxic and embryotoxic effects at the highest tested concentrations.

The Effects of Acorus calamus L. in Preventing Memory Loss, Anxiety, and Oxidative Stress on Lipopolysaccharide-induced Neuroinflammation Rat Models

Objective

Several factors lead to memory loss, the most important of which is brain aging that is caused mostly by neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. The need of finding preventive treatments of memory impairment in elderly encouraged authors to assess the effect of Acorus calamus on memory loss, anxiety, and antioxidant indices on neuroinflammation rat models.

Materials and Methods

Different fractions of A. calamus were prepared. The subject rats were grouped in 11 groups of 10 each. In the nine treated groups, the extract gavage began 1 week before intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and continued for 2 weeks after the last injection of LPS. Behavioral tests, including passive avoidance and elevated plus-maze (EPM) tests, were run on days 24, 25, and 26 and the subjects were sacrificed on the day after the last behavioral test, and their hippocampus was isolated to measure the oxidative stress markers.

Results

Assessment of oxidative stress markers in hippocampus samples revealed that the amounts of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant activity) in the groups that received different fractions were less than their equivalent figures in LPS-control group, and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in treatment groups were less than MDA level in LPS-control group. Moreover, the treatment groups with different fractions of A. calamus revealed better performance compared to LPS-control group in shuttle-box test. In EPM test, the groups with different fractions revealed lower stress level in comparison with LPS-control group. The best performance in memory test and the lowest level of stress in EPM was observed in the group with aqueous fraction at 600 mg/kg dose, and the least figures of oxidative stress markers were of the group with aqueous fraction at 600 mg/kg dose.

Conclusion

The oral administration of different fractions of A. calamus, especially aqueous fraction, prevented from memory deficits and stress through controlling oxidative stress and inflammation processes.