Spirulina Plathensis microalgae prevents scopolamine-induced memory impairment in young female Wistar rats

Introduction: Memory deficit is one of the clinical problems of Alzheimer’s disease that progressively leads to cognitive impairment and dementia. In the present study, the effect of Spirulina plathensis microalgae on the scopolamine-induced memory impairment was evaluated. Materials and Methods: Young female Wistar rats (30 days old) were used. Animals randomly were divided into 9 groups (Saline + Saline, Saline + Scopolamine 1mg/kg, Saline + Scopolamine 2 mg/kg, Spirulina 100 mg/kg + Scopolamine 2 mg/kg, Spirulina 200 mg/kg + Scopolamine 2 mg/kg, Spirulina 400 mg/kg + Scopolamine 2 mg/kg, Spirulina 100 mg/kg + Saline, Spirulina 200 mg/kg + Saline, Spirulina 400 mg/kg + Saline). To measure inhibitory avoidance (IA) task, animals were given an electrical footshock (0.5 mA, 3 s) and then was intraperitoneally treated by scopolamine and 24 latter memory retention tests (time delay to re-entrance to dark compartment) was recorded. Spirulina plathensis was dissolved in physiologic saline and the suspension was gavaged at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg for fourteen days prior to training. Biochemical experiments were included determination of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity of serum using thiobarbituric acid and Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), respectively Results: Our results showed that scopolamine (2 mg/kg) significantly (P<0.001) impaired memory retention respect to control and Spirulina plathensis significantly (P<0.05) improved memory impairment induced by scopolamine. Further, Spirulina significantly (P<0.01) increased FRAP level compared to the control. Conclusion: Spirulina plathensis improves scopolamine induced-memory deficit, probably through enhancing total antioxidant capacity of serum probably.