Niloofar Bazazzadegan
1, Marzieh Dehghan Shasaltaneh
2, Kioomars Saliminejad
3, Koorosh Kamali
3, Mehdi Banan
1, Hamid Reza Khorram Khorshid
1*1 Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2 Laboratory of Neuro-organic Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Purpose: Sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounts for
over 95% of cases. Possible mechanisms of AD such as inflammation and oxidative
stresses in the brain motivate researchers to follow many therapies which would
be effective, especially in the early stages of the disease. IMOD, the herbal
extract of R. Canina, T. Vulgare and U. Dioica plant species
enriched with selenium, has anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory and protective
effects against oxidative stress.
Methods: In this study three AD-related genes, DAXX,
NFκβ and VEGF, were chosen as candidate to investigate the
neuroprotective effect of the extract by comparing their expression levels in
the hippocampus of rat model of sporadic AD, using qPCR in the herbal-treated
and control groups. The therapeutic effects on learning and memory levels were
evaluated by Morris Water Maze (MWM) test.
Results: Gene expression results were indicative of
significant up-regulation of Vegf in
rat’s hippocampus after treatment with the herbal extract comparing to model
group (P-value= 0.001). The MWM results showed
significant changes in path length and time for finding the hidden platform in
all groups during test and the same change in the treated comparing to the
control group in memory level.
Conclusion: It could be concluded
that the herbal extract may have significant effect on gene expression but not
on behavioral level.