Nootropic activity of acetaminophen against colchicine induced cognitive impairment in rats

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder, the most common among the dementing illnesses. Acetaminophen has gaining importance in neurodegenerative diseases by attenuating the dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans model, decreasing the chemokines and the cytokines and increasing the anti apoptotic protein such as Bcl-2 in neuronal cell culture. The low concentration acetaminophen improved the facilitation to find the hidden platform in Morris Water Maze Test. Also some data suggest that acetaminophen could contribute in neurodegeneration. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of acetaminophen against colchicine induced cognitive impairment and oxidative stress in wistar rats. The cognitive learning and memory behaviour was assessed using step through passive avoidance paradigm and acetylcholine esterase activity. The parameters of oxidative stress were assessed by measuring the malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione and catalase levels in the whole brain homogenates. There was a significant memory improvement in the rats received acetaminophen treatment and it has also decreased the acetylcholine esterase enzyme level, confirming its nootropic activity. Acetaminophen neither increases nor decreases the reduced glutathione and catalase in the whole brain homogenates, showing that acetaminophen is devoid of any adverse effect on brain antioxidant defense system.