Neuroprotective role of asiatic acid in aluminium chloride induced rat model of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by memory loss, cognitive impairment and personality disorders accompanied by diffuse structural abnormalities in the brain of elderly people. The current investigation explored the neuroprotective potential of asiatic acid (AA), a natural triterpene of Centella asiatica on aluminium chloride (AlCl₃) induced rat model of AD. Oral administration of AlCl₃ (100 mg/kg b.w.) for 42 days significantly elevated the levels of Al, activity of acetyl cholinesterase and expressions of amyloid precursor protein, amyloid beta_1–42, beta and gamma secretases, glial fibrillary acidic protein, ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1, interleukins -1β, 6, 4, 2, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor- k beta and cyclooxygenase-2 in the hippocampus and cortex compared to the control group. Our observations suggested that AA treatment mitigated AlCl₃ induced AD associated pathologies, which might be due to its multiple pharmacological actions. Further studies are necessary in order to explore the link between AlCl₃-mediated oxidative stress and associated apoptosis to establish its neuroprotective role in AD.