THE EFFECT OF DIOSGENIN ON COGNITIVE DEFICITS AND OXIDATIVE STRESS INDUCED BY LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE IN RATS

Background & Aims: Neuroinflammation has been reported as a key factor in the neuropathogenesis of cognitive disorders.Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin found in fenugreek, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer's, and antioxidant effects.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Diosgenin on cognitive deficits, cholinesterase activity, and astrogliosis following neuroinflammation induction in rats. Materials & Methods:In this experimental study, 32 rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, Control with Diosgenin treatment, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and LPS with Diosgenin treatment.Rats in the treatment groups received 40 mg/kg of Diosgenin daily for seven days orally.To induce neuroinflammation, lipopolysaccharide (1 mg/kg dissolved in normal saline) was injected intraperitoneally one hour before Diosgenin administration.Learning and memory were assessed using passive avoidance tasks.After preparing homogenized hippocampal tissue, molecular parameters were evaluated.Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results:Step-through latency was significantly increased in the LPS+Diosgenin group compared to the LPS group (P<0.01).Decreased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity (P<0.05) and increased catalase (CAT) activity (P<0.05),along with reduced GFAP (P<0.05) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P<0.01), were observed in the LPS+Diosgenin group compared to the LPS group.A significant reduction in glutathione (GSH) levels (P<0.05) was noted in the LPS+Diosgenin group compared to the Control group.No significant differences were observed between the Diosgenin-treated Control group and the untreated Control group (P>0.05). Conclusion:These findings suggest that Diosgenin is a memory-enhancing compound with antioxidant properties and has potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of various disorders, including neuroinflammation and leukemia, in the future.