Investigating the behavioral impact of tropical almond (Terminalia catappa L.) consumption: Anxiolytic effects and memory preservation in aged rats.

Terminalia catappa L. (TC) has been traditionally used for its medicinal properties, including antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Considering the increased vulnerability to cognitive decline and anxiety in aging, we investigated the potential impact of TC on anxiety-like behavior, memory, and oxidative stress in aged Wistar rats. Male Wistar rats were used, including young adults (70 days old) and aged animals (17 months old). The aged rats were allocated into three groups: control (n = 11), TC500 (n = 12), and TC1000 (n = 12). TC was administered by oral gavage at doses of 500 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg for five weeks. Behavioral tests were conducted to assess anxiety: Open field, elevated plus maze, and light-dark box, and memory performance: Object recognition test and water maze, and oxidative stress markers were analyzed in brain tissue. TC-treated animals showed increased ambulation, rearing, grooming, time spent in open arms and central areas of the elevated plus maze, and increased head-dipping behavior, indicating anxiolytic-like effects. These findings were reinforced by greater time spent in the light compartment and higher transition rates in the light-dark box test, as well as increased exploration of novel objects in short- and long-term memory tasks. In the Morris water maze, the TC groups exhibited improved memory, demonstrated by shorter escape latency and greater total distance traveled. Both treatment groups showed reduced lipid peroxidation levels in brain tissue, suggesting decreased oxidative stress. These results indicate that TC may exert anxiolytic-like effects, enhance memory performance, and reduce oxidative stress in aged rats, supporting its potential as a neuroprotective agent in aging-related conditions.