Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences Journal of Herbmed Pharmacology 2345-5004 13 4 2024 10 01 Treatment with Tinospora cordifolia ameliorates prenatal stress and maternal separation-induced memory deficits by restoring amygdaloid neuronal architecture 606 619 10.34172/jhp.2024.51517 EN Ashwini LS https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8992-954X Mohandas Rao KG https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5832-0718 Kiranmai S Rai https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4888-7056 Somashekar B Shetty https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1275-8647 Guruprasad Rao https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9686-3860 Padmanabha Udupa EG https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8982-3542 Chinmay Ajit Suryavanshi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9365-2996 Journal Article 10.34172/jhp.2024.51517 2024 04 15 2024 07 20 Introduction: Tinospora cordifolia (TC) possesses antioxidative properties and has been shown to improve cognition. In this study, the effects of TC were investigated on prenatal vibratory stress, maternal separation-induced amygdala plasticity, and memory retention in pregnant rats and their neonates. Methods: Four experimental animal groups of pregnant Wistar rats were employed in this research, including normal & vehicle controls, the stressed group, which received 3 hours of vibratory stress/day, and the TC-treated group, which received 6 mg/kg TC before vibratory stress. The neonates born to these mothers were then subjected to maternal separation, followed by postnatal TC treatment. After 6 weeks, the animals were assessed to evaluate memory retention, serum cortisol levels, and neuronal structural changes in the amygdala. Results: Neonates exposed to prenatal vibratory stress and maternal separation entered the dark compartment more quickly during the retention test (P<0.001), indicating reduced memory retention. In contrast, the TC-treated groups showed longer latencies (P<0.001), suggesting improved memory retention. The TC-treated mothers and neonates had longer dendrites with more branching points and intersections (P<0.001). However, these dendrites underwent pruning, indicating a complex structural response to stress and TC treatment. Conclusion: The results indicate that TC exerts neuroprotective effects against prenatal vibratory stress and maternal separation and aids memory retrieval in rats by restoring amygdala neuronal damage.