Primary Author: S. Karpagam Kumara Sundari¹

           Additional Authors: A. Mohamed Rassa², B. S. Harishni³, Sindhu Ramesh⁴, ManojGovindarajulu⁴, Timothy Moore⁴, Muralikrishnan Dhanasekaran⁴

1. Dept. of Pharmacology, Periyar College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tiruchirappalli - 620 021, Tamilnadu, India.

2. Surya School of Pharmacy, Surya Group of Institutions, Vikravandi, Villupuram – 605 652, Tamilnadu, India.

3. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, CSI College of Dental Sciences and Research, Madurai - 625 001, Tamilnadu, India.

4. Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn

University, AL 36849, USA.

Abstract:

Background: Curcuma longa is a conventional botanical that has been used as a folk medicine in the Indian sub-continent for several centuries. Curcuma longa has shown to induce antioxidant, effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumor, and mitochondrial protective effects. Hence, Curcuma longa has been used to treat various neurological, inflammatory, infectious, and hematological diseases. Nevertheless, the neuroprotective effects of Curcuma longa extract against cognitive impairment induced by Alloxan and Phenytoin-induced cognitive impairment is not well studied.  

Aim: Based on the lacuna in the current scientific literature, we investigated the neuroprotective effects on Curcuma longa extract in a valid (hyperglycemic and hypoexcitability) animal model.  

Method: Hyperglycemic and neuronal hypoexcitability based animal model (Swiss albino mice) was induced by treating with Alloxan monohydrate (150mg/kg, i.p) and Phenytoin sodium (20mg/kg, p.o).  Curcuma longa extract (250mg/kg, p.o) was administered to control and Alloxan + Phenytoin treated rats.  Behavioral studies associated with cognition (short and long-term memory) were elucidated using elevated plus maze, Y maze, Hebb’s William maze, and passive avoidance paradigm.  Various parameters measured were transfer latency, blind passages leaving, acquisition score, and negative reinforcement.  

Result: Alloxan + Phenytoin induced significant cognitive impairment. Effectively, Curcuma longa extract (250mg/kg, p.o) significantly exhibited neuroprotection against hyperglycemic and hypoexcitability condition in rodents.  

Key words: Curcuma longa  Neuroprotection, Hypoexcitability