Effect of phyllanthus emblica fruits extract on memory impairment and neuronal cell death induced by bilateral occlusion of common carotid artery in mice

Abstract

The effects of emblic myrobalan (Phyllanthus emblica) fruits extract on memory impairment induced by transient cerebral ischemia (bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries, 2VO) was investigated in mice. The 2VO caused an impairment of memory seen as an increase in the latency to find the platform in Morris Water Maze (MWM) test as well as a reduction of step-down latency and an increment of number of errors in step-down test. Administration of emblic myrobalan extract (p.o.) at doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg/day significantly reduced the latency to find the platform of 2VO mice in MWM test. Furthermore, in passive avoidance task, emblic myrobalan extract at doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg/day were found to increase the step-down latency and decrease the number of error of 2VO mice. Thus ameliorating effects of emblic myrobalan on memory deficit induced by cerebral ischemia were demonstrated. In addition, it was found that 2VO had no effects on locomotor activity test. Moreover, emblic myrobalan extract could suppress 2VO-induced increasing of brain malondialdehyde. Therefore it is likely that memory enhancing effect of emblic myrobalan extract might be accounted by its antioxidative effect. In addition, histopathological observation had shown that emblic myrobalan extract could decrease neuronal cell loss in hippocampus. In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated the beneficial effects of emblic myrobalan extract on memory deficit induced by cerebral ischemia. It is possible that antioxidant property of emblic myrobalan extract which protected neuronal cell loss, at least partly, contribute to its positive effect on memory deficit in 2VO model.