Improvement of Amyloid-β-induced Memory Deficits by Juniperus Communis L. Volatile Oil in a Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Juniper volatile oil is extracted from Juniperus communis L., of the Cupressaceae family, also known as common juniper. The therapeutic properties of juniper oil are antiseptic, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, depurative, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulating, stomachic, sudorific and tonic. In traditional medicine, juniper oil was used to relieve anxiety, nervous tension and mental exhaustion. In the present study, the effects of inhaled juniper volatile oil (1% and 3%, daily, for 21 days) extracted from J. communis L. on spatial memory performance were assessed in an Aβ(1-42) rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. The Aβ(1-42)-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease of spontaneous alternations percentage within Y-maze task and increase of working memory and reference memory errors within radial arm maze task. Exposure to juniper volatile oil significantly improved these parameters, suggesting positive effects on spatial memory formation. Therefore, juniper volatile oil could be a potential candidate for further preclinical study aimed at the treatment of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease.