Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Department of Biology, Sciences Faculty, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Sciences Faculty, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background:Memory and learning are one of the most complex brain functions and a mechanism for encoding, storing and recalling learned information. Due to the prevalence of learning disabilities, especially in older adults, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of chamomile on avoidance memory levels in rats.
Materials and Methods:In this experimental study, 48 adult male rats were divided into 6 groups: control, control 1 (treatment with normal saline) and control 2 (Shuttle Box) and three experimental groups receiving 200,100, and 400 mg/kg hydroalcoholic extract of chamomile by intraperitoneal injections. All of them were prescribed for 15 days. In this study, the Shuttle Box was used to measure memory and learning. The latency of entering and the time of remaining in a dark chamber of the Shuttle Box were recorded. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey tests using the SPSS-22 software.
Results:The significance level of data was considered as p≤0.05. The results showed that doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg chamomile extract significantly increased the latency of entering the dark chamber and also doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg chamomile extract significantly reduced the time of remaining in the dark chamber of the Shuttle Box in the remembering phase at the level of P≤0.001 compared to the control group.
Conclusions: The results of this study showed that chamomile extract strengthens avoidance memory in rats. This effect is probably due to flavonoids, antioxidants and phytoestrogens.

Keywords

Main Subjects

[1].   Sharifzadeh M, Sharifzadeh  K, Naghdi N, Ghahremani MH, Roghani A. Posttraining intrahippocampal infusion of a protein kinase AII inhibitor impairs spatial memory retention in rats. J Neurosci Res. 2005; 79(3): 392-400.
[2].   Unno K,Takabayashi F, Yoshida H,Choba D, Fukutomi R. Daily consumption of green tea catechin delays memory regression in aged mice. Biogerontology. 2007; 8(2): 89-95.
[3].   Siegel J, Nitz D, Bingaman VP. Lateralized fuctional components of spatioal cognition in the avian hippocampal formation: evidences from single-unit recording in freely moving homing pigeons. Hippocampus. 2006; 16(2):125-40.
[4].   Benarroch E, Schmeichel A, Sandrani P, Parisi J. Differential involvement of hypothalamic vaspressin neuronsin multiple system atrophy. Brain. 2006; 129(10):2688-96.
[5].   Blaise JH, Koranda JL, Chow U, Haines KE, Dorward EC. Neonatal isolation stress alters bidirectional longterm synaptic plasticity in amygdalohippocampal synapses in freely behaving adult rats. Brain Res. 2008 Feb 8; 1193:25-33. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.11.049. Epub 2007 Dec 4.
[6].   Honari N, Pourabolli I, Hakimi zadeh E, Shamsizadeh A, Amin F, Allatavakoli M. Effect of Vitex Agnus-Castus Extract on Learning and Memory in Ovariectomized Rats. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci. 2012; 22 (93):2-10.
[7].   Namvaran-Abbas-Abad, A. Khayat-Nouri, M. 2011. Interactions between Matricaria Recutita and Cisplatin on PTZ-Induced Seizure Threshold in Mice. KAUMS Journal (FEYZ). 15 (3):188-93. (in Persian)
[8].   Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A Herbal Medicine of The Past With a Bright Future (Review). Mol Med Rep. 2010; 3(6): 895-901.
[9].   Pereira RP, Fachinetto R, de Souza Prestes A, Puntel RL. Santos da Silva GN, Heinzmann BM, et al. Antioxidant effects of different extracts from Melissa officinalis, Matricaria recutita and Cymbopogon citratus. Neurochem Res. 2009; 34(5): 973-83.
[10].Gomaa A, Hashem T, Mohamed M, Ashry E. Matricaria chamomilla extract inhibits both development of morphine dependence and expression of abstinence syndrome in rats. J Pharmacol Sci.2003; 92(1):50-55.
[11].Chandrashekhar VM, Ranpariya VL, Ganapaty S, Parashar A, Muchandi AA. Neuroprotective activity of Matricaria recutita Linn against global model of ischemia in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010; 127(3): 645-51.
[12].Ranpariya VL, Parmar SK, Sheth NR, Chandrashekhar VM. Neuroprotective activity of Matricaria recutita against fluoride-induced stress in rats. Pharm Biol. 2011; 49(7): 696-701.
[13].Zand RS, Jenkins DJ, Diamandis EP. Effects of natural products and nutraceuticals on steroid hormone-regulated gene expression. Clin Chim Acta. 2001; 312(1-2):213-219.
[14].Kesmati M, Raei H, Zadkarami M. Effect of Matricaria chamomilla hydroalcolic extract on locomotor activity in the presence and absence of sex gland in male and female  adult mice.Shahid Chamran  University Journal of Science. 2007; 17(1):73-83.
[15].Pourmehdi Rad G, Kesmati M. Comparison of anxiolytic effect of matricaria recutita in male and female mice in the presence and absence of gonads. ZJRMS. 2009; 11 (2):19-29.
[16].Aboukhatwa M, Dosanjh L, Luo y. Antidepressants are a rational complementary therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Mol Neurobiol. 2010; 5(1): 10.doi:  10.1186/1750-1326-5-10
[17].Tahmasebi S, Heidarieh N, Mohajerani H R. Examination of the crataegus extracts effect on passive avoidance learning of male wistar rat. NCMBJ. 2014; 3 (12) :79-86
[18].Setorki M, Moshfegh A, Raoufi N. Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Matricaria chamomilla on passive avoidance memory and pain induced by global cerebral ischemia in Wistar rat. J Shahrekord Univ Med Sci. 2016; 17 (6) :76-86.
[19].Amintaheri N, Tehranipour M, Zafar Balanezhad S. Effect of alcoholic extracts of Rosa canina L fruit on hippocampus neuronal density in mice . J Gorgan Univ Med Sci. 2018; 20 (1) :58-63.
[20].Nobakht M, Shafiee M, Tabatabaee P, Rastegar T. Assessment of Tamoxifen Effects on Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) in Rat's Developing Hippocampus. RJMS. 2008; 15 (59):181-190
[21].Rahimluy Marjani Z, Hatami H, AliHemmati A R. The investigation of the role of nitric oxide system in the spatial memory of rats in experimental model of multiple sclerosis. RJMS. 2014; 20 (117):49-58.
[22].Commenges D, Scotet, V, Renaud S, Jacqmin-Gadda H. Intake of flavonoids and risk of dementia. EUR J Epidemiol. 2000; 16(4): 357-363.
[23].Rasoolijazi H, Joghataie MT, RoghanM, Nobakht M. The Beneficial Effect of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate in an Experimental Model of Alzheimer’s disease in Rat: a Behavioral Analysis. Iranian Biomedical J. 2007; 11(4): 237-243.
[24].Williams R, Spencer J. Flavonoids. cognition and dementia: actions, mechanisms and potential therapeutic utility for Alzheimer’s disease. Free Radic Biol Med. 2012;52(1):35-45. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed. 2011.09.010. Epub 2011 Sep 17.
[25].Kouhestani S, Zare S, Babaei P. Effects of pure flavonoid of medlar leaves on passive avoidance learning and memory in Alzheimer model of ovariectomized rats. jour guilan uni med sci. 2018; 26 (104) :62-71.
[26].Alibabaei Z, Rabiei Z, Rahnama S, Mokhtari S,Rafieian-kopaei M. Matricaria Chamomilla extract demonstrates antioxidant properties against elevated ratbrain oxidative status induced by amnestic dose of scopolamine. Biomed Aging Pathology. 2014;4 (4): 55-67.
[27].Abdanipour A, Khatami SM, Tiraihi T, Satari MJ. Effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Chamaemelum nobile on cell prolifration and apoptosis of rat hipocample neural stem cells in the oxitative stress condition. J Gorgan Univ Med Sci. 2014; 16 (4) :14-20
[28].Karambakhsh A, Nory SMH, Hasanzadea GR, Takzarea N. Excitatory and inhibitory effects of nitric oxide on weight, size, and histological changes of rat cerebellum. Tehran Univ Med J. 2013; 70 (10):595-60.
[29].Moshfegh A, Raufi N, Shahin M, Piri M. Influence of nicotine and nitric oxide in the nucleus accumbens on ethanol state-dependent learning. koomesh. 2014; 15 (2) :242-249.
[30].Nobakht M, Shafiee M, Tabatabaee P, Rastegar T. Assessment of Tamoxifen Effects on Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) in Rat's Developing Hippocampus. RJMS. 2008; 15 (59): 181-190
[31].Danaei N, Panahi Kokhdan E, Manzouri L, Nikseresht M. The Effect of bevacizumab and hydroalcohlic Extract of Matricaria chamomilla on cell viability and nitric oxide productionof the colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29). Armaghane danesh. 2016; 20 (12) :1107-1118.
[32].Rabiei Z, Alibabaei Z, Rafieian-kopaei M. Determining the antioxidant properties of chamomile and investigating the effects of chamomile ethanol extract on motor coordination disorders in rats. JBUMS. 2015; 17 (4):50-44.
[33].Setorki M, Moshfegh A, Raoufi N. Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Matricaria chamomilla on passive avoidance memory and pain induced by global cerebral ischemia in Wistar rat. J Shahrekord Univ Med Sci. 2016; 17 (6):76-86.
[34].Namvaran-Abbas-Abad A, Khayat-Nouri M H. Interactions between Matricaria recutita and cisplatin on PTZ-induced seizure threshold in mice. Feyz. 2011; 15 (3):188-193.
[35].Rabiei Z, Moghtadaei M, Mokhtari S, Rafieian-Kopaei M. Atricaria chamomilla essential oil with physical training improves passive avoidance memory of Wistar rats. Ir J Physiol Pharmacol. 2016; 2 (2):96-104.