Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive deterioration of cognitive functions (dementia) and represents a growing public health concern since the population in the age groups at risk is increasing. The latter raises an urgent need to translate research findings in the basic brain and behavioral sciences into anti-AD drugs and disease-modifying therapies. Origanum onites (L.), also called Turkish oregano, is a perennial and herbaceous plant species grown for centuries for medicinal, cosmetic and culinary purposes. This is the first study to investigate the putative neuroprotective and pro-cognitive activities of O. onites essential oil (OOEO) against scopolamine-induced amnesia of AD-type in Wistar albino rats. The results of behavioral tests revealed that OOEO administration was able to significantly alleviate learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine in vivo. The observed effects could be attributed to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity, attenuation of oxidative stress and prevention of neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of AD rats. Modulation of pro-inflammatory enzymes, including cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase and myeloperoxidase, might further contribute to the neuroprotective properties of OEOO, as predicted by our in silico models. These findings offer novel insights into the therapeutic potential of OEOO in patients with AD.
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14 March 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-022-00958-x
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Asli Aykac, Kerem Teralı, Dilek Özbeyli, Kemal Hüsnü Can Başer and Göksel Şener conceived the study design. Asli Aykac, Dilek Özbeyli, Seren Ede, Ömercan Albayrak and Göksel Şener were responsible for animal experiments. Asli Aykac and Kerem Teralı were responsible for molecular experiments and statistical analysis. Asli Aykac, Kerem Teralı and Dilek Özbeyli wrote the original draft manuscript. Asli Aykac, Kerem Teralı, Kemal Hüsnü Can Başer and Goksel Şener reviewed and edited final version of the manuscript. Asli Aykac, Kerem Teralı, Dilek Ozbeyli, Seren Ede, Ömercan Albayrak, Kemal Hüsnü Can Başer and Goksel Sener have seen and read the final version of the article. The corresponding author attests that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no others meeting the criteria have been omitted.
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Aykac, A., Teralı, K., Özbeyli, D. et al. A multi-parameter evaluation of the neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing effects of Origanum onites L. (Turkish Oregano) essential oil on scopolamine-induced amnestic rats. Metab Brain Dis 37, 1041–1055 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-022-00933-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-022-00933-6