Effects of Matricaria chamomilla Extract on Motor Coordination Impairment Induced in Rat and Determination Antioxidant Properties of Chamomile

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive deterioration of memory and other mental functions. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. A group of brain disorders that lead to loss of intellectual and social skills, these changes are severe enough that they can affect a person's daily life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of chamomile on balance and motor learning in rats that received scopolamine and intact rats.

In this study 42 Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups. Rats received scopolamine 1mg/kg. Control group received distilled water while group amnesia model received simultaneously, chamomile extract, 200 mg and 500 mg, and scopolamine for 20 days. Intact groups only received extract. Motor coordination of rats assessed with rotarod apparatus.

Scopolamine significantly decreased time spent on Rotarod performance Compared with the control group (p<0.05). The strength and staying on Rotarod apparatus in scopolamine group that received the extract with dose 200 mg compared with scopolamine group significantly increased (p=0.044). The results of this study showed that chamomile extract at doses of 200 and 500 mg in intact groups that received only extract significantly increased time spent on rotarod compared with scopolamine group (p=0.000, p=0.000).

The results of this study indicated that chamomile extract due to the high antioxidant property, improved motor coordination in groups that received scopolamine.