Effect of ethanol leaf extract and fractions of Launaea taraxacifolia on cognimotor and visuospatial functions in aluminium chloride neurotoxic rats

Aluminium chloride neurotoxicity is a well-established model of neurodegeneration. This study investigated the potential neuroprotective effects of ethanol leaf extract and fractions of Launaea taraxacifolia (L. taraxacifolia) on cognitive and motor functions in aluminium chloride-treated rats. Sixty-six adult female Wistar rats were divided into 11 groups. The neurotoxic control group received aluminium chloride (100 mg/kg), while experimental groups received additional treatments, including donepezil, ethanol extract (274 – 822 mg/kg), and various solvent fractions for 21 days. Neurobehavioral tests (wire hang test, beam walking test, T-maze, and novel object recognition) assessed motor coordination and cognition. Aluminium chloride exposure significantly impaired hanging time, increased foot slips and crossing time, reduced percentage alternation in the T-maze, and decreased novel object exploration (p < 0.05). Treatment with L. taraxacifolia extract and fractions significantly improved all these parameters (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced motor coordination, cognitive flexibility, and visuospatial function. These findings suggest that ethanol leaf extract and fractions of L. taraxacifolia possess neuroprotective properties, mitigating aluminium chloride-induced neurotoxicity and improving cognitive and motor performance in rats.