Antioxidative and Neuroprotective Potential of Salvia plebeia R. Br. in Scopolamine Induced Amnesia in Rat

This study aim to investigate the antioxidative and neuroprotective potential of Salvia plebeia R. Br. in a scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats. Memory impairment is closely associated with oxidative stress and cholinergic dysfunction, as seen in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The ethanolic extract of S. plebeia (SPEE), rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds, was evaluated for its ability to ameliorate scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits. The plant aerial parts were extracted by Soxhlet extraction and subjected to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening. Acute oral toxicity studies (OECD-423) confirmed the extract’s safety up to 2000 mg/kg. The wistar rats were divided into five groups: normal control, disease control, standard (donepezil, 5 mg/kg), and two test groups (SPEE 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg). Behavioral performance was assessed using the Novel Object Recognition, Y-maze, and Passive Avoidance tests. Biochemical estimations of hippocampal acetylcholinesterase (AChE), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were performed, alongside histopathological analysis. Scopolamine-treated rats showed significant impairment in memory, elevated AChE and MDA levels, and decreased antioxidant enzyme activity. Treatment with SPEE significantly reversed these changes, improving behavioral scores, normalizing AChE activity, reducing lipid peroxidation, and enhancing endogenous antioxidant levels in a dose-dependent manner. Histological examination further confirmed neuroprotection of hippocampal neurons. The findings suggest that S. plebeia exerts potent antioxidative and neuroprotective effects, likely mediated through cholinergic modulation and oxidative stress attenuation, supporting its therapeutic potential in cognitive disorders such as AD.