Attenuation of Scopolamine-Induced Amnesia via Cholinergic Modulation in Rats by Amentoflavone Nanoparticles

Abstract

Amentoflavone is a well-known flavonoid and has low bioavailability. Nanoparticles of Amentoflavone (NAF) enhance their bioavailability. NAF was not explored for its potential therapeutic activities in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Hence, the present study was performed to evaluate the protective effect of NAF in comparison to free Amentoflavone against scopolamine-induced spatial memory impairments. NAF prepared by anti-solvent precipitation method. Amentoflavone, NAF (30 mg/kg p.o.), and rivastigmine (2 mg/kg i.p.) as a reference drug were administered for 8 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment period, memory impairments were induced by a single injection of scopolamine (20 mg/kg; i.p.). Conditioned avoidance and rectangular-maze tests were conducted 30 min thereafter then rats were sacrificed, and brain homogenates were used for the estimation of glutathione (GSH), catalase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents together with acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity. In addition, histopathologic studies were also performed. The size of NAF was observed below 300 nm. NAF significantly reduced the transfer latency and conditioned avoidance response compared to the scopolamine-treated group (p < 0.05). Pre-treatment with NAF showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in MDA, and AchE levels, and an increase in brain catalase and GSH levels to be similar to that observed in the rivastigmine group. In all the behavioral, biochemical, and histological experiments, the rats treated with NAF showed additional distinguished results compared to the quercetin group indicating that a preventive strategy against the progression of AD. This approach of NAF provides the potential therapeutic application in human neurodegenerative disease in the future.