Abstract

NEUROPROTECTIVE ROLE OF BENINCASA HISPIDA L. ON HIPPOCAMPAL CELL MORPHOLOGY IN COLCHICINE INDUCED EXPERIMENTAL RAT MODEL OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

*Chandan Roy and Debjani Guha

Abstract

The present study was designed to undertaken the role of pulp extract of Benincasa hispida L. (BH) on hippocampal cell morphology in colchicine induced experimental rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. After intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of colchicine in colchicine induced experimental rat model of AD produced massive destruction and disintegration of dentate granule cells at CA3 region of hippocampus when compared with control group. But pretreatment with BH pulp extract did not show any destruction or disintegration of CA3 dentate granule cells of the hippocampus. Similar results were obtained in case of saline treated control animal. It is reported that BH has an antioxidant activity on colchicine induced experimental rat model of AD.

Keywords: Benincasa hispida, hippocampal cell morphology, colchicine, Alzheimer’s disease, CA3 region, hippocampus.