ANTIAMNESIC EFFECT OF BERBERINE IN COLCHICINES INDUCED EXPERIMENTAL ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE MODEL

Abstract

Central administration of colchicine is well known to cause cognitive impairment and oxidative damage, which simulates sporadic dementia of the Alzheimer type in humans. Berberine, a natural product alkaloid, has been shown to display a wide array of pharmacological effects. The present study has been designed to investigate the effects of berberine against the colchicine-induced cognitive impairment in mice. Memory performance task was accessed using Morris water maze. Colchicine (15µg/5µL) was administered ICV, resulted in poor memory retention in the Morris water maze task. Mice received chronic treatment of four doses (5, 10, 20, 40mg/kg per day, PO) of berberine for a period of 21 days beginning 4 days prior to colchicine administration. Berberine treatment significantly ameliorated learning deficits, long-term spatial memory retention. Our results suggest that berberine provides antiamnesic effects in colchicines induced memory impairment model and promising agent for the treatment of AD.