Attenuation of ECS-induced retrograde amnesia by using an herbal formulation

Earlier research indicated the efficacy of a complex herbal formulation in the attenuation of electroconvulsive shock (ECS)-induced amnestic deficits in rats; this study sought to ascertain whether a simplified herbal formulation (Memorin; Phyto-Pharma, India) also was effective. Rats pretreated for a fortnight with Memorin (200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle were exposed to a passive-avoidance learning paradigm in a shuttle box. The next day, the rats were administered two true or sham ECSs, 5 h apart; recall of the pre-ECS learning was reassessed on the following day. ECS was found to produce significant retrograde amnesia (p < 0.002). Memorin attenuated the ECS-induced amnesia (p = 0.00003) without influencing the ECS seizure duration. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.