Evaluating the effect of aquatic extraction of Cannabis sativa seed on spatial memory consolidation in rats

Background

The existence of an endocannabinoid system in the central nervous system that consists of G protein-coupled CB1 cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids, including arachidonylethanolamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, has gained general acceptance. Recent reports suggest that this system may serve several physiological functions including learing and memory functions

Materials and methods

40 male wistar rats (3-4 month, 320-260 g) were completely divided into 4 experimental groups and control group. Cannabis sativa seed was extracted with Soxhlet apparatus. To test spatial memory, Morris water mazemaze (7 days,4 trails) was used. Experimental groups with 50 mg.kg-1, 100 mg.kg-1, 150 mg.kg -1,210 mg.kg-1 were injected in the peritoneal (IP) orderly and after one hour of injection spatial memory was done.

Results

The result show that experimental groups (50 mg.kg-1,100 mg.kg-1,150 mg.kg -1 doses), for learning time have significant level deduction in the comparison of controlgroup (p < 0.05), but experimental group with 210 mg.kg-1 dose has not significant level in the comparison of control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

We demonstrate tetrahydrocannabinol can change brain function as learning and memory processes and probably was done with Depolarization-Induced Suppression of excitatory (DSE) mechanism in the CA1 area of Hippocamp that with neurotransmitter regulation cause to neuroplasticity.