Title:Comparative Effectiveness of Agmatine and Choline Treatment in Rats with Cognitive Impairment Induced by AlCl3 and Forced Swim Stress
Volume: 15
Issue: 3
Author(s): Hira Rafi*, Fahad Ahmad, Javaria Anis, Ruba Khan, Hamna Rafiq and Muhammad Farhan
Affiliation:
- Neurochemistry and Biochemical Neuropharmacology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi,Pakistan
Keywords:
Agmatine, choline, learning, memory, cognitive impairment, morris water maze test.
Abstract:
Aim: Endogenous agmatine has a significant role in learning and memory processes as a
neurotransmitter. Various studies described the physiological role of endogenous agmatine in learning
and memory of multiple cognitive tasks suggesting elevated levels of agmatine during the learning
process in the rat brain. Dietary intake of choline showed correlation with cognitive functions in
human subjects and treatment with choline supplements validated the ability to diminish learning
and cognitive impairment dementias.
Methods: 36 Albino rats were equally divided into three groups previously: a) control-water, b)
Test I - AlCl3 (100 mg/Kg body weight), and c) Test II - Forced swim stress (FSS) for 14 days. On
the next day of AlCl3 and FSS last administration, animals were allocated into further three groups
and received the following treatments: a. water was given orally to the control group, b. Agmatine
(100 mg/Kg Body Weight) group, and c. Choline (100 mg/Kg Body Weight) group for the next 14
days. Behaviors were assessed in Light/Dark Box, Open Field, Novel Object Recognition Test
(NOR), T Maze Test, and Morris Water Maze Test.
Results: Animals administered with agmatine demonstrated increased time spent in bright areas of
light/dark box and square crossed while improved spatial memory in Morris water maze and T
maze test and enhanced discrimination of novel object in NOR were observed in learning and
memory paradigms along with choline.
Conclusion: The present study determines that agmatine at the dose of (100 mg/kg body weight)
attenuates memory and cognitive impairment in comparison with choline supplements.