Investigating the effect of Eclipta prostrata hydroalcoholic extract on motor activity, avoidance memory and oxidative stress in an animal model of Parkinson's disease in adult male rats

Parkinson's disease is associated with motor and cognitive disorders, so we investigated the administration of Eclipta prostrata hydroalcoholic extract on learning, memory, motor activity and oxidative stress in Parkinson's model.

50 adult Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control group, parkinsonian group and three groups treated with eucalyptus perstrata extract in three different concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Induction of Parkinson's model was done by injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). One day after the last gavage, motor tests were done. The shuttle box test was used to evaluate learning and avoidance memory. Oxidative stress was evaluated by malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase and thiol content.

7 days after the lesion in the MFB, after the administration of apomorphine, the rats turned 360 degrees in the right direction at a rate of more than 10 revolutions per minute. In the movement tests of the parkinsonian group, maintaining balance in rotarod (p<0.001), catalepsy (p<0.001), muscle stiffness (p<0.001), stride length (p<0.001) and avoidance memory (p<0.001) showed a significant difference to the control group. Also, Eclipta prostrata extract significantly improved all kinds of movement disorders caused by Parkinson's disease, and in doses of 50, 100, and 200, it improved memory in Parkinsonian rats (p<0.001). Also, the extract significantly increased the amount of thiol (p<0.001). and glutathione peroxidase (p<0.001) and decreased MDA in hippocampus and striatum tissue (p<0.001).

In general, we showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of Eclipta prostrata administered in the animal model of Parkinson's has a favorable effect on memory, learning, motor activity and oxidative stress of the brain.