EVIDENCES FOR THE PROMISING THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF BOSWELLIA SERRATA AGAINST ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: PRE-CLINICAL STUDY

Objective: The current study was planned to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects of Boswellia serrata methanolic extract against neurodegeneration characterizing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in rat model. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were classified into five groups. Group (1) control group; group (2) AD group which was administered orally with AlCl3 daily for one month; group (3) AD group which was treated orally with rivastigmine daily for three months; group (4) AD group which was treated orally with B. serrata (137.5 mg/kg b. wt) daily for three months and group (5) AD group which was treated orally with B. serrata (68.75 mg/kg b. wt) daily for three months. Brain acetylcholine (Ach), brain and serum acetylcholine (AchE) activity, C-reactive protein (CRP), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-KB), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) levels were detected. Brain histological investigation of all studied groups was carried out. Results: The data of the current study showed that AlCl3 administration resulted in significant reduction in brain Ach and brain and serum Bcl-2 levels accompanied with significant elevation in brain and serum AchE, CRP, NF-KB, MCP-1 and LTB4 levels. Brain histological investigation of rats administered AlCl3 showed appearance of Aβ plaques characterizing AD. Treatment of rats with B. serrata methanolic extracts caused marked improvement in the measured biochemical parameters as well as in the histological feature of the brain. Conclusion: B. serrata possesses anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effect against neuroinflammation characterizing AD