Neuroprotective effects of dietary inclusions of alligator pepper (Aframomum melegueta) and bastard melegueta (Aframomum danielli) seeds on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.

OBJECTIVES

Neurodegeneration continues to drive conditions of progressive cognitive decline from amnesia to severe dementia in different age groups. Despite, the availability of standard drugs, the need for multi-targeted interventions with no side-effects remains to be explored. Hence, this study evaluates the neuroprotective effects of Aframomum melegueta and Aframomum danielli seeds dietary inclusion on neurocognitive decline in scopolamine-administered male rats.

METHODS

Seven groups of experimental rats were studied for 14 days: normal rats (group 1), untreated scopolamine-administered rats (group 2), scopolamine-administered rats treated with donepezil (group 3), scopolamine-administered rats treated with dietary inclusions of 4 and 8 % A. melegueta (groups 4 and 5 respectively), and 4 and 8 % A. danielli (groups 6 and 7 respectively). Rats were trained with Morris water maze, pre-treated with the diets, and administered (I. P) scopolamine (3 mg/kg body weight from days 12-14). Memory functionality was evaluated using the maze test and hippocampal and cortical brain regions were analyzed biochemically.

RESULTS

Scopolamine administration impaired working memory, evidenced by increased escape latency and activities of neurodegenerative biomarkers in untreated rats. A. melegueta and A. danielli dietary inclusions significantly reduced escape latency, improved working memory, and restored key biomarkers, including acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, and reactive oxygen species. Treated rats also exhibited elevated total thiol levels, and improved anti-inflammatory markers (IL-10).

CONCLUSIONS

Both A. melegueta and A. danielli seeds showed improved neuroprotective effect in the brain of scopolamine-induced amnesia rats highlighting significant intervention against cognition. However, A. melegueta showed greater neuroprotective efficacy.