Abstract:
In the present study, memory-enhancing, anxiolytic and antidepressant-like
activities of Juniperus oxycedrus ssp oxycedrus (Cupressaceae) essential oil on
scopolamine-induced amnesic rats are assessed. Scopolamine is a drug comprising
highly amnesic properties; therefore it has been used to create dementia animal
model. Scopolamine is known to induce memory impairment as well as anxiety and
depressive-like behavior in animals and humans. In this study, we evaluated the
neuroprotective effects of Juniperus oxycedrus ssp oxycedrus essential oil in
scopolamine treated rats. Two different doses, 1% and 3%, of essential oil were
administrated to the rats by inhalation for 21 continuous days prior to the
behavioral analysis. Y-maze task and radial arm maze task were used to evaluate
spatial memory performances of the rats. As expected, scopolamine treated rats
exhibited the following: decreases in spontaneous alternation percentage in Y-maze
task, and increases in working memory errors and reference memory errors in
radial arm maze task. Juniperus oxycedrus ssp oxycedrus essential oil treated rats
exposed to scopolamine showed significant improvement in spatial memory
function as compared to scopolamine-alone treated rats. Furthermore, anxiety and
depressive like symptoms were assessed by elevated plus maze task and forced
swimming task. Juniperus oxycedrus ssp oxycedrus essential oil inhalation
significantly increased the number of open arm entries in elevated plus maze,
indicating anxiolytic behavior. The essential oil also reduced the immobility time
and increased the swimming time in forced swimming test indicating
antidepressant activity. Taken together, Juniperus oxycedrus ssp oxycedrus
essential oil could be a good candidate for the treatment of dementia and deserves
further investigation
