A Novel Supplement Consisting of Rice, Silkworm Pupae and a Mixture of Ginger and Holy Basil Improves Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment

<b>Backgrounds/Objectives:</b> Despite the increasing importance of the condition of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), the current therapy efficacy is limited. Since oxidative stress and inflammation are targeted in anti-stroke therapy, we aimed to assess the protective effect against PSI of an orodispersible film loaded with silkworm pupae hydrolysate and a combined extract of holy basil and ginger (JP1), which show antioxidant, and anti-inflammation effects. <b>Methods:</b> Male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were administered JP1 at doses of 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg BW 45 min before a 6 h immobilization stress exposure for 14 days. Then, the right middle cerebral artery was permanently occluded (MCAO) and JP1 was continually administered for 21 days after MCAO. Spatial and non-spatial memory and the possible underlying mechanisms were also explored. <b>Results:</b> JP1 improved oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, Erk signaling pathway, cholinergic function, and the growth of <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> spp. in feces. These results suggest that JP1 improves PSCI, possibly involving the above mechanisms. Furthermore, serum corticosterone also decreased. <b>Conclusions:</b> Our results suggest that JP1 is a potential candidate for combating PSCI following exposure to stroke plus stress. However, a clear understanding of the precise active ingredient and the detailed mechanisms require further investigation.