COGNITION ENHANCING AND NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF CARVACROL IN OKADIAC ACID INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS, INFLAMMATION AND NEURODEGENERATION IN MICE

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, multifactoral, debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. The major hallmarks include
extracellular plaques composed of β-amyloid, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau,
inflammation, degeneration, synaptic dysfunction and oxidative stress. It is known that injecting Okadiac acid (OKA) into rodent
brain induces hyperphosphorylation of tau at some of those sites that are found to be hyperphosphorylated in tau preparation
obtained from AD patient brains. The aim of the study was to evaluate the protective effect of carvacrol at 2 doses (25 mg/kg i.p.and
50 mg/kg i.p). Carvacrol (cymophenol, or 5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol) is a monoterpenoid phenol present in the essential oils of
medicinal and aromatic plants. Carvacrol was administered to swiss albino mice for 35 days. OKA was administered
intracerebroventricularly on day 15. Memory was evaluated by employing morris water maze (MWM) test and recording the escape
latency. Oxidative stress parameters, AChE level and TNF-α level was estimated in brain tissue homogenates. Carvacrol reduced the
escape latency in the MWM test at both dosed. Administration of carvacrol significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammation.
It also significantly inhibited AChE. Thus it should be evaluated further for its prophylactic/ therapeutic potential.
KEYWORDS: neuroprotective, neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, neurons