Frankincense improves memory retrieval in rats treated with Lipopolysaccharide

Introduction: frankincense has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity. in this study the effect of pretreatment with the hydro-alcoholic extract of frankincense on memory retrieval was assessed in lipopolysaccharide (lps) treated rats.methods: forty-two adult male wistar rats were distributed into 7 groups of 6 each. one group received lps (1 mg/kg; i.p) pre-test. the control group received saline (1 ml/kg; i.p). 2 groups of animals received frankincense (50 mg/kg; p.o) or dmso 5% (1 ml/kg; p.o) and 30 minutes later lps (1 mg/kg; i.p). two other groups of animals received frankincense (50 mg/kg; p.o) or dmso 5% (1 ml/kg; p.o) and 30 minutes later saline (1 ml/kg; i.p). another group of rats received lps (1 mg/kg; i.p) and 30 minutes later ibuprofen (100 mg/kg; p.o). in all the experimental groups, memory retrieval was assessed 4 hours following the last injection, using a passive avoidance task (pat). hippocampal tnf-α levels were measured by elisa as an index of lps-induced neuroinflammation.results: lps impaired memory retrieval by decreasing step-through latency (stl), significantly. lps also increased levels of tnf-α in the hippocampus as compared to the control group. administration of frankincense (50 mg/kg; p.o) before lps (1 mg/kg; i.p) improved memory retrieval as compared to the control group. frankincense reduced hippocampal tnf-α level in the lps treated rats, significantly, compared to the control group.conclusion: the results indicate that the hydro-alcoholic extract of frankincense has the potential to improve memory retrieval in lps treated rats, possibly via an anti-neuroinflammatory activity.