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Methanolic Extract of Piper nigrum Fruits Improves Memory Impairment by Decreasing Brain Oxidative Stress in Amyloid Beta(1–42) Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology volume 34, pages 437–449 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The present study analyzed the possible memory-enhancing and antioxidant proprieties of the methanolic extract of Piper nigrum L. fruits (50 and 100 mg/kg, orally, for 21 days) in amyloid beta(1–42) rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. The memory-enhancing effects of the plant extract were studied by means of in vivo (Y-maze and radial arm-maze tasks) approaches. Also, the antioxidant activity in the hippocampus was assessed using superoxide dismutase-, catalase-, glutathione peroxidase-specific activities and the total content of reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, and protein carbonyl levels. The amyloid beta(1–42)-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease of spontaneous alternations percentage within Y-maze task and increase of working memory and reference memory errors within radial arm-maze task. Administration of the plant extract significantly improved memory performance and exhibited antioxidant potential. Our results suggest that the plant extract ameliorates amyloid beta(1–42)-induced spatial memory impairment by attenuation of the oxidative stress in the rat hippocampus.

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Acknowledgments

Jaurès AK Noumedem was supported by Doctoral scholarships Eugen Ionescu (2011/2012), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Bd. Carol I, No.11, 700506, Iasi, Romania

    Lucian Hritcu & Marius Mihasan

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon

    Jaurès A. Noumedem & Victor Kuete

  3. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Gr. T. Popa”, 16 University Str, 700117, Iasi, Romania

    Oana Cioanca & Monica Hancianu

Authors
  1. Lucian Hritcu
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  2. Jaurès A. Noumedem
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  3. Oana Cioanca
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  4. Monica Hancianu
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  5. Victor Kuete
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  6. Marius Mihasan
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Correspondence to Lucian Hritcu.

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Hritcu, L., Noumedem, J.A., Cioanca, O. et al. Methanolic Extract of Piper nigrum Fruits Improves Memory Impairment by Decreasing Brain Oxidative Stress in Amyloid Beta(1–42) Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Cell Mol Neurobiol 34, 437–449 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-014-0028-y

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