Kosuri Kalyan Chakravarthi1, Ramakrishna Avadhani2
1Department of Anatomy, Santhiram Medical College, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India.
2Department of Anatomy, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
DOI: 10.4103/0976-9668.117025
ABSTRACT
Background: In the traditional system of medicine, the roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Gg) (family: Leguminosae) have been studied for their ability to improve a variety of health ailments. Aims: The present study was designed to investigate the beneficial effects of Gg root extract on learning and memory in 1-month-old male Wistar albino rats. Four doses (75, 150, 225, and 300 mg/kg) of aqueous extract of root of Gg was administered orally for six successive weeks. Materials and Methods: The aqueous extracts were evaluated for their effect on spatial learning and memory in rats using the elevated plus maze, Hebb-William maze, and Morris water maze tests which served as the exteroceptive behavioral model. Diazepam-induced amnesia served as the interoceptive behavioral model. Results: Results showed that all the doses of aqueous root extract of Gg significantly enhanced the memory; however, in the doses of 150 and 225 mg/kg, it showed a significant (P < 0.01) enhancement in learning and memory. Furthermore, Diazepam-induced amnesia was reversed by the aqueous root extract of Gg (150 and 225 mg/kg, p.o.). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the memory enhancement effects of Gg may be mediated by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Thus, Gg appears to be a promising drug for improving memory in the management of impaired learning, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Keywords: Diazepam, elevated plus maze, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Hebb-William maze, learning, memory , water maze.
