Cognitive effects of ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa and its silver nanoparticles in ethanolic dementia model

Dementia is a condition of progressive deterioration of intellectual or cognitive function. Several factors cause dementia such as excessive alcohol consumption, elevated cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, diabetes (treat to avoid frequent hypoglycaemia) etc. Present study investigated the effects of ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa (EEBD) and its silver nanoparticles AgNPsBD in Ethanol induced interoceptive dementia rat model. Silver nanoparticles of Boerhaavia diffusa (AgNPsBD) were biosynthesized and characterised analytically by UV, SEM, and DLS. Male Wistar albino rats received Ethanol (2.5mg/kg, i.p.) for 15 days. Animals were divided into five groups. Group I contained normal rats, Group II contained Control rats that received Ethanol 2.5 mg/kg i.p. and Group III, Group IV and Group V were received Piracetam, EEBD (300mg/kg) and AgNPsBD (30 mg/kg) p.o. respectively along with Ethanol. Elevated plus maze and Morris water maze were used as exteroceptive models for analysing cognitive performances. The animals were sacrificed and estimated lipid peroxidase and reduced glutathione in rat brain. Dementia induced animals showed reduced cognitive performance and increased oxidative stress when compared to other groups. It is concluded that the EEBD causes a reduction in both transfer latency and retention latencies and the biochemical parameters also indicates the cognitive enhancing effect of EEBD compared to its silver nanoparticles.