Cognitive dysfunction is a major health problem in 21st century, one of the most functionally devastating aspects of many neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. Gmelina arborea Roxb. belongs to the family Verbinaceae. It is found in part of India, Western Ghats and from foot of North-West Himalaya to Chittagong and throughout Deccan Peninsula. This plant is planted in gardens and also as an avenue tree. The aim of present study was to study the nootropic effect of chloroform extract of Gmelina arborea (CEGA) and hydro-alcoholic extract of Gmelina arborea (HAEGA) by using various animal models. The models used for the study of nootropic activity of CEGA and HAEGA were step down passive avoidance, sodium nitrite induced amnesia, elevated plus maze in mice and conditioned avoidance response in rat. The CEGA (500 mg/kg) and HAEGA (500 mg/kg) was suspended in distilled water and administered orally to mice and rat. Piracetam was administered orally as a standard drug. Control animals receive equivalent volume of distilled water. Scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg) and sodium nitrate (35 mg/kg) significantly decreased the step down latency (SDL) compare to control group in learning and memory trials. On treatment with CEGA (500 mg/kg) and HAEGA (500 mg/kg) significantly reversed scopolamine and sodium nitrate induced spatial memory impairment as compared to negative control group. In conditioned avoidance response, CEGA (500 mg/kg) and HAEGA (500 mg/kg) significantly reduced time taken by the rat to climb the pole while in the elevated plus-maze test, mice treated with CEGA (500 mg/kg) and HAEGA (500 mg/kg) significantly reduced transfer latency (TL). The present study suggests that chloroform extract and hydro-alcoholic extract of Gmelina arborea shows statistically significant nootropics activity.
Loading....