The modulatory effect of Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides in attenuating the aluminium chloride induced neurotoxicity in rat brain

Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides Lam. (Family: Araliaceae) is used widely in the preparation of food in different cuisines of the world. The study was designed to explore the protective effect of different standardised extracts of H. sibthorpioides on the AlCl3 induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimeric rats. When AlCl3 at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight was administered i.p. for 60 days showed a significant increase in aluminium (Al) level, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) level andprotein expressions of amyloid precursor proteins, β and γ secretase, and β-amyloid (Aβ1–42) in the cortex and hippocampus comparing to the control. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in locomotor activity, muscle coordination and cognition and memory. On the other hand, animals treated with chloroform and methanolic extracts of H. sibthorpiodes given at 200 and 100 mg/kg body weight orally with AlCl3 altered the behavioural impairment caused by Al and Alconcentration, activity of AChE, synthesis molecules of Aβ generation. The report of histological studies in hippocampus and cortex supported the neuroprotectiverole of chloroform and a methanolic extract of H. sibthorpioides, which conserved a normal histoarchitecture pattern of cortex and hippocampus. Finally, it can be concluded that chloroform and methanolic extract of H sibthorpioides can alter memory loss induced by aluminum toxicity by enhancing AChE activity and by its involvement in amyloidogenic pathway.