آلزایمر

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is one of the most important medicinal plants and belongs to the mint family, which is known as a medicine that increases memory. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effective compounds, anti-microbial effects and inhibitory effects of hydroalcoholic extract of lemon balm for the production of amyloid nanofibers as an effective agent in Alzheimer's disease.

The effective compounds of lemo balm plant were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial effects on two bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated by well method and the values ​​of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined. The inhibitory effects of lemon balm extract on the fibrillation of bovine serum albumin were investigated by Concord absorbance method.

The presence of the active substance pyrrolidinone was confirmed with a probability of 90%. The diameter of the halo of non-growth of hydroalcoholic lemon balm extract for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was 20 and 17 mm, respectively, and the MIC and MBC values ​​were 0.137, 0.068, 0.068, and 0.068 g/ml, respectively. Liter was obtained. The maximum inhibition of amyloid nanofibers was observed at a concentration of 4 mg/ml of lemon balm extract.

lemon balm extract with proper antimicrobial effects and lower side effects and cost than other synthetic drugs can have a good effect against infectious agents. By inhibiting the production of amyloid nanofibers, lemon balm extract can be useful for reducing the complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by memory loss and personality changes. Mutations in amyloid precursor protein (APP) are known to cause early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD). The aim of this study examined the variation of exons 16 and 17 APP gene mutation in cognitive function EOAD, these exons were hot spot in different investigation, and so were chosen. In this study, 24 patients with 48 individuals as control group were used. After PCR amplification, genotypes were analysis with sequencing method. Single nucleotide substitutions at exon 16 of the APP gene at position T12931884A in intron 1 which had 26 nucleotides to coding region was found in one Iranian patient with AD, but no other variations were found in exons 16 and 17 of APP gene in EOAD. Exons 16 and 17 are not hot spot in Iranian AD patients.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible brain disturbing disorder and is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Since many drug treatments have been introduced for AD, despite the change many have failed; therefore in this research, effect of Berberis vulgaris fruit aqueous extract on memory consolidation stage in Wistar male rats with Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced AD was studied.

For this purpose, a total of 30 male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=6); Intact groups; Saline control groups (received saline via intraperitoneal (IP) injection); Saline control+Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) groups (received saline via IP route and received CSF via Intracerebroventricular (ICV) route (unilateral, right ventricle)); Saline+STZ groups (received saline via IProute and received STZ with a dose 1.5mg/Kg (to create Alzheimer model in the first and third days after canulation) via ICV route); Berberis vulgaris extract+STZ groups (received Berberis vulgaris extract with dose of 10mg/Kg via ip route and received STZ via ICV route). Injection for 4 days, was done After teaching passive avoidance learning by the shuttle box and On the fifth day, the day of the test. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and one way ANOVA and T-Student test method.

on the test day, step through latency (STL), and total time in dark compartment (TDC) and total time in light compartment (TLC) Was considered as a measure of passive avoidance learning. The aqueous extract of barberry fruit in the rats receiving STZ was significantly increased in STL (P<0.01) and TLC (P<0.05), also significant decrease in TDC (P<0.05) Compared with groups receiving the saline+STZ.

This research showed, 10mg/kg doses of aqueous extract of Berberis vulgaris caused improvement of learning in animals with Alzheimer (recipient of STZ) which is probably due to antioxidant property, flavonoids, vitamin C and … in Berberis vulgaris that inhibit some of the factors causing of AD.