Effect of Tacca Chantrieri André Rhizome Extract on Alleviating Memory Deficit in Scopolamine-Injected Rats by Protecting Against Oxidative Damage and Enhancing Cholinergic Function
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.11161Keywords:
Tacca chantrieri, Scopolamine, Memory impairment, Oxidative stress, Cholinergic functionAbstract
This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Tacca chantrieri André rhizome extract (TCE) on memory, oxidative stress and cholinergic function. The animals were divided into six groups: A control group receiving no treatment and five experimental groups administered either a vehicle, donepezil (a positive control), or TCE at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) for 14 consecutive days. On day 8, scopolamine was also intraperitoneally injected into the animals daily for the remaining 7 days. At the end of the experiment, the hippocampus was utilized for biochemical assays and histological studies. TCE administration in scopolamine-injected animals resulted in a significantly higher discrimination index than in animals treated with scopolamine alone. TCE treatment also decreased acetylcholinesterase activity, resulting in elevated acetylcholine levels and an increased quantity of surviving neurons in the CA3 region of the hippocampus. Additionally, TCE administration reduced hippocampal lipid peroxidation, as indicated by lower malondialdehyde levels. Furthermore, TCE treatment significantly enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, which protect cells from oxidative stress. Qualitative analysis of compounds in TCE was conducted using LC-QTOF-MS/MS, which identified saponins, flavonoids and phenolic compounds as the predominant chemical constituents. Therefore, these compounds present in the plant extract may confer protection against memory impairment and oxidative stress in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease.
HIGHLIGHTS
- TCE contains high saponins, flavonoids and phenolic compounds.
- Scopolamine promotes cholinergic dysfunction, leading to impaired memory.
- TCE improved the percentage of the discrimination index, as observed in the NORT.
- TCE reverses memory deficit by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing antioxidant enzymes.
- TCE improves cholinergic function by inhibiting AChE activity, enhancing ACh levels and improving neuronal survival in the hippocampus.
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