Motor and cognitive deficits due to permanent cerebral hypoperfusion/ischemia improve by pomegranate seed extract in rats

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two weeks oral administration of Pomegranate Seed Extract (PGSE) on active avoidance memoiy and motor coordination activities after permanent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (2CCAO) in male adult rats. Adult male albino rats of Wistar strain (250±20 g, 3-4 months) were used. Animals were divided into eight groups with 10 in each: (1) Sham operated (Sh); (2) Ischemic (I); (3) Ischemic received 100 mg kg-1 PGSE, orally (I+E100); (4) Ischemic received 200 mg kg-1 PGSE, orally (I+E200); (5) Ischemic received 400 mg kg-1 PGSE, orally (I+E400); (6) Ischemic received 800 mg kg-1 PGSE, orally (1+ E800); (7) Ischemic received 2 mL kg-1 normal saline, orally (I+Veh); (8) Sham operated received 400 mg kg-1 PGSE, orally (Sh+E400). In order to make 2CCAO an animal Cerebral Hypoperfusion Ischemia (CHI) model, carotid arteries were ligatured and then bilaterally cut. To evaluate active avoidance task, Correct Response Percentages (CRP) was measured by Y-maze apparatus and motor coordination activity was evaluated using standard behavioral tests by rotarod apparatus in all the rats. It was found that memoiy. Memory and motor coordination activities were significantly impaired in the rats after CHI (p<0.01). PGSE treatment significantly improved impairment of memoiy and motor coordination in the rats with 2CCAO (p<0.001). PGSE exhibited therapeutic potential for memoiy and muscular coordination, which was most likely related at least in some part to its antioxidative and free radical scavenging actions. © 2014 Asian Network for Scientific Information.