Prophylactic Effect of Hypericum Perforatum Extract and Memantine on amino Acids Neurotransmitters in Scopolamine Rat Model of Cognitive Dysfunction

The goal of the present study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic effect of Hypericum Perforatum extract on amino acids neurotransmitters contents in cortex and hippocampus in memory dysfunction induced by scopolamine in adult male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus). The study used Memantine Hcl as a reference drug FDA approved for Alzheimer s disease treatment. Adult male albino rats were daily orally administered of Hypericum Perforatum (350mg/kg) and Memantine HC1 (20mg/kg) for two, four, eight weeks and at the end of each interval each rats group intraperitoneally administered single dose of scopolamine (0.4mg/kg). Scopolamine caused significant increase in the level of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, glycine and taurine. Also scopolamine caused significant decrease in asparagine and GABA levels in cortex and hippocampus. Administration of both Hypericum Perforatum and memantine caused decrease in aspartic acid, glutamic acid, taurine, glycine and serine and significant increase in the cortical and hippocampal asparagine and GABA. The study demonstrates a significant neuroprotective effect of Hypericum Perforatum extract mimics that of memantine against scopolamine-induced neuronal excitotoxic and cognitive impairment.