Neuropharmacological studies of ethanolic extract of Vaccinium corymbosum on Alzheimer’s type dementia and catatonia in Swiss albino mice

Introduction: Neuroactive herbal drugs enriched with antioxidants are valuable in treating neurocognitive dysfunction and Vaccinium corymbosum, enriched with antioxidant phytochemicals, is used for treating memory disorders. Hence, the present study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of ethanolic extract of Vaccinium corymbosum (EEVC) on aluminium chloride(AlCl۳)-induced Alzheimer’s type of dementia and haloperidol-induced catalepsy-associated behavioural changes. Methods: In vitro antioxidant potential was evaluated using ۱-diphenyl-۲-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ۲,۲′-azino-bis (۳-ethylbenzothiazoline-۶-sulphonic acid) (ABTS). The total phenolic content (TPC) was quantified. For in vivo studies, AlCl۳ (۱۰۰ mg/kg) was orally administered for ۴۲ days, whereas the EEVC was administered on the ۲۱st day until the ۴۲nd day in two doses (۲۰۰ mg/kg and ۴۰۰ mg/kg). In the haloperidol-induced group, EEVC was treated for ۲۱ days, and haloperidol (۱ mg/kg) was administered to induce behavioural changes. Open-field, Y-Maze and traction tests were performed, and the mice brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme was determined. Results: IC۵۰ values in DPPH and ABTS assays were ۸۵.۵ μg/mL and ۸۰ μg/mL, respectively and the total phenolic content of EEVC was found to be ۰.۱۶۶ mg. In a behavioral study, animals treated with ۲۰۰ mg/kg and ۴۰۰ mg/kg of EEVC exhibited a neuroprotective impact on AlCl۳-induced neurodegeneration and haloperidol-induced behavioral changes with significant inhibition (P < ۰.۰۵ and P < ۰.۰۱, respectively) in acetylcholinesterase enzyme. Conclusion: The neuroprotection by EEVC postulated that it is a promising therapeutic agent for treating behavioral and cognitive dysfunctions. Further investigations on pro-inflammatory cytokine and neuroendocrine regulation in transgenic Alzheimer’s disease (AD)models complement the therapeutic value of V. corymbosum.