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J Herbmed Pharmacol. 2023;12(2): 315-326.
doi: 10.34172/jhp.2023.33

Scopus ID: 85158814599
  Abstract View: 935
  PDF Download: 571

Original Article

Spatial memory-enhancing effects and antioxidant activities of leaf and stem bark methanol extracts of Prunus africana in scopolamine-treated mice

David Nyaga Ngai 1* ORCID logo, Cromwell Mwiti Kibiti 2 ORCID logo, Mathew Piero Ngugi 1 ORCID logo

1 Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
2 Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Technical University of Mombasa, P.O. Box 90420-80100, Mombasa, Kenya
*Corresponding Author: David Nyaga Ngai, Email: konjingai@gmail.com

Abstract

Introduction: Conventional medicines for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have little efficacy and are linked to several severe effects, necessitating alternative therapy. The current study investigated the memory-enhancing effects and antioxidant activities of stem bark and leaf MeOH extracts of Prunus africana in scopolamine-induced amnesic mice. Several inclusions build up in brain tissue during AD progression and the brain clears them oxidatively. This makes the antioxidant activity a vital requirement for plant extracts that are used with great success to manage AD.

Methods: In this study, for each plant extract, thirty Swiss albino mice were randomly assigned to six groups; extract-treated, reference drug control, normal control, and negative control groups. The mice were then subjected to the Morris water maze task for four consecutive days, euthanized and their whole brains were assessed for antioxidant activities.

Results: The studied extracts significantly (P<0.01) reduced escape latencies of experimental mice in a dose-related manner, depicting their considerable memory-enhancing effects. The extracts also displayed significant (P<0.01) enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities.

Conclusion: The leaf and stem bark MeOH extracts of P. africana possess phytocompounds with spatial memory-enhancing effects and antioxidant activities.


Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:

The present study revealed new knowledge about the efficacy of the two P. africana extracts in the enhancement of spatial memory. In addition, the study also established the presence of phytocompounds with valuable medicinal properties, including enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities which are necessary for alleviating oxidative stress linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. Therefore, the extracts could be useful in managing AD.

Please cite this paper as: Ngai DN, Kibiti CM, Ngugi MP. Spatial memory-enhancing effects and antioxidant activities of leaf and stem bark methanol extracts of Prunus africana in scopolamine-treated mice. J Herbmed Pharmacol. 2023;12(2):315-326. doi: 10.34172/jhp.2023.33.

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Submitted: 06 Dec 2022
Revision: 04 Feb 2023
Accepted: 07 Feb 2023
ePublished: 18 Mar 2023
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