ANTI-ALZHEIMER POTENTIAL OF ORANGE JUICE

Abstract

Orange (Citrus sinensis) is well known for its nutritional and medicinal properties throughout the world. This study was undertaken to test the effect of orange juice on the memory of mice. A total of 228 mice divided in 38 groups were employed in this study. Orange juice (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% v/v) was administered orally to mice with the help of an oral feeding needle. Morris water maze, elevated plus maze and object recognition task served as exteroceptive behavioral models, whereas scopolamine induced amnesia and alprazolam induced amnesia served as interoceptive memory models. Brain AchE activity was measured using Ellman’s method. Orange juice significantly (p< 0.01) reduced transfer latency of mice in Elevated plus maze model. In another experimental model, orange juice significantly (p<0.01) increased discrimination index in object recognition task, revealing its memory enhancing potential. Furthermore, orange juice in different concentrations enhanced the time spent by mice in target quadrant, when tested using Morris water maze. In the present study, Brain AChE activity was significantly reduced by orange juice, thereby suggesting pro-cholinergic mechanism for orange juice. These findings, when taken together indicate that orange juice possesses promising memory enhancing potential.