Nootropic effects of aqueous and hydroethanolic lyophilisate of Ficus mucuso Welw trunk bark. Ex Ficalho (Moraceae) in albino mice

Jacqueline Stéphanie NJAPDOUNKE KAMENI¹Justin TCHIENGANG DIAPA²Fleur Clarisse MOTO OKOMOLO^3*Elisabeth NGO BUM²

• ¹Departement of Biological Science, University of Ngaoundéré, ngaoundéré Cameroon, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon
• ²Departement of Biological Science, University of Maroua, Maroua Cameroon, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon
• ³Departement of Biological Science, Hihgh teacher's training collage University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé Cameroon, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon

Ficus mucuso is a plant of the Moraceae family used in traditional medicine to treat several conditions such as malaria, anemia, insomnia, and epilepsy. The aimed of the study was to evaluate the effect of the aqueous and hydroethanolic lyophilisate of F. mucuso on memory capacity. The mice were divided into ten groups and treated for nine consecutive days as follows : a normal control group that received saline (0.9%, p.o), four groups that received the aqueous lyophilisate of F. mucuso (10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o), four other groups receiving the hydroethanolic lyophilisate of F. mucuso (10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o) and a positive control receiving piracetam (200 mg/kg, p.o). Learning and memory were assessed thirty minutes after the last treatment using the elevated plus maze, object recognition, T-maze, and Morris water maze tests. The latency to enter the closed arms was reduced (P < 0.001) and the inflection index was increased by F. mucuso (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) in the elevated plus maze test. The duration of exploration of the new object (ON) and the discrimination index (ID) were increased in the object recognition test. The latency time, time spent in the discriminated arm, and number of returns to the starting arm were reduced, and the number of entries, time spent in the mouse's preferred arm, number of entries, and time spent in the discriminated arm were increased by the plant in the T-maze. A reduction in latency to find the platform and an increase in the number of entries and time spent in the target quadrant were observed in the Morris water maze. These results show that F. mucuso facilitates cognitive function by improving learning and memory, correcting behavior, and therefore has nootropic properties.