ASSESSMENT OF COGNITIVE EFFECT OF COMBINED EXTRACTS OF ZINGIBER OFFICINALE AND OCIMUM SANCTUM IN SCOPOLAMINE INDUCED AMNESIA

Abstract

In the current investigation the rhizome of Zingiber officinale and leaf of Ocimum sanctum were extracted using ethanol-water (70:30) and the anti-amnesic potential of the combined extracts was evaluated in experimental model. The extraction yield of the hydroalcoholic mixture was found to be 10.4 % for Zingiber officinale and 17.7 % for Ocimum sanctum. Preliminary phytochemical analysis suggested the presence of alkaloids, saponin glycosides, phenolics, terpenoids, and flavonoids in the leaf of the Zingiber officinale while alkaloids, sterols and glycosides were not present in Ocimum sanctum. The total phenolic content of the extracts of Z. officinale and O. sanctum were 73.61 ± 0.238 and 65.71 ± 0.265 GAE mg/g, respectively. The phenolic content was highest in the combined extract (CPE, 2:1) of all the three combinations with total phenolics 149.56 ± 1.247 GAE mg/g. The combination of these extracts (1:1, 1:2 & 2:1) were evaluated for anti-amnesic potential using Morris water maze and Elevated plus maze models. The number of movements in open arm of the elevated plus maze apparatus on administration of CPE, 2:1 was highest of all the extracts administered (5.14 ± 0.408). In the Morris method, the mice treated with CPE, 2:1 required only 14.22 ± 0.894 seconds on the 4^th day to find the hidden platform as compared to 52.00 ± 3.577 for the scopolamine treated mice.