Attenuating effects of aqueous extract of Lavandula angustifolia on Alzheimeric rat's spatial learning

Alzheimer is a progressive demential disease with destruction of brain neurons and severe deficiency of memory. For many years, plenty efforts was devoted to find an appropriate and efficient way for treatment of the disease. The present study was designed to assess if the herbal medicine Lavandula Angustifolia shares the Morris water maze training in improvement of learning behavior of the Alzheimeric rats. This experimental study was carried out on 40 wistar male rats randomly divided in 4 groups: Two control groups (CO and ALZ) received 1 ml normal saline, and the other 2 groups (CO+E and ALZ+E) received 1000 mg/kg body weight Lavender extract, intra-peritoenally. To assess spatial learning of the animals, they were introduced to the Morris water maze to locate a fixed hidden platform. Probe test was applied to evaluate the memory consolidation. The time elapsed and distances passed in the correct quadrant were analyzed by ANCOVA test. The CO group spent less time and distance to find the hidden platform than ALZ group. Also, CO+E and ALZ+E compared to CO and ALZ expended more time and distance to find platform. There was no difference between groups in probe trial test. The behavioral training positively influenced the maze learning in the Alzheimeric subjects. Lavender extract with dose of 1000 mg/kg is effective on improvement of the Alzheimer's disease