Prevention of cognitive impairments and neurodegeneration by Khamira Abresham Hakim Arshad Wala

Khamira Abresham Hakim Arshad Wala (KAHAW) is an effective and potent cardiac tonic with well-known antioxidant properties. The extensive use of this preparation in Indian system of Unani medicine led us to hypothesize that the pretreatment of this drug to male Wistar rats would prevent cognitive and neurobehavioral impairments. The cognitive impairment was developed by giving single intracerebroventricular injection of 1.5 mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) bilaterally. An increased latency and path length was observed in cognitive, i.e. STZ group as compared to sham group and these were restored significantly in STZ group pretreated with KAHAW (700 mg/kg body weight for 15 days). The activity of antioxidant enzymes, viz. glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase was decreased in STZ group as compared to sham group and pretreatment of STZ group with KAHAW has protected their activities significantly. Moreover, the significantly depleted content of reduced glutathione and significantly elevated level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in STZ group were protected significantly with KAHAW. The study concludes that the therapeutic intervention of KAHAW may be used to prevent or to decrease the deterioration of cognitive function and neurobehavioral activities, often associated with the generation of free radicals.