Memory enhancing effect of Nelumbo nucifera seedpod extract and its active component quercetin in noise stress-exposed rats

Abstract

Stress is an unavoidable phenomenon which disturbs the physiological homeostasis. Noise is the highest encountered stressor that affects the well- being of mankind. Hippocampus, a region of the brain crucial for memory is highly influenced by stress and thereby deteriorates memory. Male albino Wistar rats of 11-12 weeks were used in this study. Nelumbo nucifera (NNE) 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) and its active principle Quercetin (QRCT) (40 mg/kg bw) were administered orally to the animals 10 days before noise stress exposure of (100dB 4h/d). Ability to retain information by Learning and spatial memory was assessed using eight-arm radial maze apparatus. It was observed that after noise stress exposure errors in working, reference memory and time period to move into all baited arms were increased; however, the drug pre-treated animals showed a decrease in all the above parameters. The observations in the present work have proved that NNE and QRCT groups were effective in ameliorating the noise stress-induced changes, but the active component quercetin group had a higher protective impact on the changes.