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Abstract
The aim of the present work was to study the potential benefits of selected functional food components (methanol and petroleum ether extracts of Carica fruits, leaves and seeds,
Origanum herb, ginger, grape leaves and fruits, and fig fruits) towards Alzheimer’s disease. Methods included testing the invitro antioxidant effect and anti-cholinesterase activity of the
extracts. Anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in carrageenan model in rats. Total phenolic contents of the different
tested plants and gas chromatography (G.C.) analysis of the unsaponifiable lipid of ginger was carried out. The efficiency of the promising extracts was tested in rats in which ALD was
induced by aluminium lactate. The efficient extracts were incorporated into two functional foods, one was made of Origanum majorana and Carica fruits methanol extracts, and the second contains grape and Carica leaves methanol extracts. The prepared functional foods were evaluated in rats
with ALD. Acute toxicity test of the promising functional food components has been carried out. Results showed that the highest antioxidant activity in the in-vitro study belonged to
methanol extract of ginger and Carica leaves, while the most potent anti-inflammatory effect in carrageenan model was attributed to methanol extract of Carica fruits followed by
methanol extract of grape leaves. In the in-vitro tests, petroleum ether extract of ginger showed the highest anticholinesterase activity followed by that of Carica seeds.
Results of total phenolics showed grape leaves to contain the highest level, while fig was of the least content. G.C analysis of unsaponifiable lipid of ginger showed phytosterol to be 0.738% and hydrocarbon as 86.242%. In-vivo results showed that induction of ALD in rats produced significant elevation in
oxidative stress, biomarkers of inflammation, and acetylcholinesterase
activity with reduction in antioxidant level. Brain Zn was significantly elevated. Body weight gain and food
efficiency ratio showed significant reduction. Administration of selected functional food ingredients (methanol extract of Carica leaves, grape leaves, Origanum, Carica fruits, grape
fruits and petroleum ether extract of Carica seeds) improved the aforementioned parameters significantly. Functional food
(1) showed to be more efficient in improving the different biochemical parameters than functional food
(2). Only little improvement in nutritional parameters was noticed. Acute toxicity test showed Origanum majorana and Carica fruits methanol extracts to be very safe. Conclusion: All the tested extracts showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticholinesterase activity with different degrees pointed to their
possible benefits in Alzheimer’s disease, which may be mainly attributed to their phenolic contents.