Work

Nigella sativa extract abrogates traumatic brain injury-induced memory impairment in adult mice

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an increasing widespread cause of disability and mortality, typically leading to dementia and memory impairment. Objective This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective potential of Nigella sativa extract against TBI induced memory impairment in adult albino mice. Methods Adult male mice were divided into four groups randomly: Control, Nigella sativa extract alone, TBI alone and TBI plus Nigella sativa extract. TBI induction was carried out in mice using a weight dropping method then Nigella sativa extract (10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally for two weeks. Morris water maze and Y-maze tests were used to measure memory improvement ability and Western blot technique was used to analyse the neuroinflammatory and synaptic protein markers. Results Nigella sativa extract significantly decreased phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) proteins to reduce TBI-induced neuroinflammation accompanied by the restoration of both pre- and post-synaptic protein expression in adult mice model. Furthermore, Nigella sativa extract enhanced both short and long-term spatial memory against TBI in adult mice model. Conclusion Nigella sativa extract abrogated neuroinflammation mediated memory impairment in TBI mice model. Further research is needed to determine Nigella sativa extract ingredients detail completely and to understand its mechanisms of neuroprotection in reducing memory impairments associated with traumatic brain injury and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Source: Heliyon

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38106

Authors: Rifat Ullah Khan, Sahibzada Muhammad Jawad, Mubin Mustafa Kiyani, Shahid Ali Shah, Shahid Bashir, Hamid Khan