Abstract:
In this study, we investigated the possible neuroprotective effects of Achillea biebersteinii
(Asteraceae) volatile oil. The plant is a shrub, distributed in South-west Asia, South-eastern Europe,
and Northern Africa. It is an aromatic and medicinal plant and has been used traditionally to treat
several conditions in Turkey and in the World. The present research investigates the memory
enhancing, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of Achillea biebersteinii essential oil on scopolamineinduced
amnesic rats. Y-maze and radial arm maze tasks were used for evaluating memory formation.
Likewise, anxiety and depressive-like behavior were conducted by elevated plus-maze and forced
swimming tasks, respectively. Scopolamine-treated rats reduced memory formation as evidenced by
decreased spontaneous alternation percentage in Y-maze test, and increased working memory errors
and reference memory errors in radial-arm maze test. Achillea biebersteinii volatile oil significantly
increased spontaneous alternation percentage, and decreased the working memory errors and reference
memory errors. Furthermore, scopolamine-alone treated rats exhibited anxiety and depressive-like
behavior as evidenced by reduced percentage of open arm time, number of open arm entries and
number of crossings in the elevated plus maze and the swimming time and immobility time in the
forced-swimming test. Achillea biebersteinii volatile oil increased the percentage of open arm time,
number of open arm entries and number of crossings in the elevated plus maze, and increased the
swimming time and decreased the immobility time in the forced-swimming test in scopolamine
administered rats as compared to scopolamine-alone treated rats. Hence, this study suggests that the
multiple exposures of Achillea biebersteinii volatile oil ameliorate scopolamine-induced spatial
memory formation, anxiety and depressive-like behavior. In conclusion, Achillea biebersteinii
essential oil may be useful alternative or complementary choice in either the protection or the
treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
