Combined Effects of Green Tea and Zataria Multiflora Boiss on Passive Avoidance Learning and Hippocampus Neurogenesis in Wistar Male Rats

Background and Objective: Antioxidants along with other active biological effects of Green Tea and Zataria multiflora boiss deserve paramount consideration. This study was an attempt to evaluate the effects of Green Tea and Zataria multiflora boiss on passive avoidance learning and hippocampus neurogenesis in Wister male rats. Materials and Methods: Upon assigning the rats to three groups of control (intact), sham and experimental, the sham group received 1 cc of distilled water by infusion for 8 weeks, whereas the experimental group received 0.5 cc of green tea and 0.5 cc of Zataria multiflora boiss infusion, with concentration of 0.04 g/ml via oral gavage daily for 8 weeks. Subsequent to administration of behavioral test (Passive avoidance learning), density of neurons in the rats’ hippocampus was microscopically assessed and one-way ANOVA test was implemented for data analysis. Results: Green tea and Zataria multiflora boiss significantly enhanced memory recall in animals. In the meantime, over histologic analysis, augmentation in the number of neurons in the hippocampus regions was observed. Conclusion: These findings verify the beneficial remedial effects of green tea and Zataria multiflora boiss on improvement of memory, neurogenesis of CA3 regions and dentate gyrus in rat hippocampus.