Effect of Curcumin on Cognitive Impairment in Aged Female Wistar Rats Subjected to Intestinal Ischemia-reperfusion Injury

Cognitive deficit, more common with age, it affects memory and cognitive functions. Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) causes systemic inflammation that can damage the brain, particularly the hippocampus. Curcumin, an active ingredient found in turmeric have neuroprotective properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of curcumin on intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury induced-cognitive deficit in aged female Wistar rats. Forty female Wistar rats between 200-250 kg were used in this study, they were weighed and randomly divided into four groups n=10. The animals pretreated with 100 mg/kg for twenty-one days prior to surgical induction of ischemia for two hours followed by reperfusion which lasted for twenty-one days. After twenty-one days, behavioral assessment was done to investigate the behavioral functions. Animals were sacrificed and the brain was harvested, the hippocampus was isolated for biochemical and histological assessment. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test with statistical significance set at p<0.05. The result shows that there was decrease in ability of the rats to recognize novel objects in IIRI groups but was improved curcumin treated groups. There was a reduction in the neurotransmitter level (AchE, Serotonin and Dopamine) in IIRI groups which was revered in the CUR+IIRI groups (p<0.001). Inflammatory markers (TNF-α, MPO) were also significantly reduced in CUR+IIRI group when compared to IIRI group (p<0.001). Histological assessment shows that curcumin preserved hippocampal architecture, whereby reducing IIRI-induced cognitive deficit in aged female Wistar rats. This study showed that curcumin demonstrates significant neuroprotective effects against IIRI-induced Cognitive deficit.