Evaluating the Effect of Sinapis alba Seeds Hydroalcoholic Extract on Passive Avoidance Memory, Motor Coordination and AntioxidantCapacity in Male Adult Mice

Most people are using medicinal plants for treating and preventing some diseases. Although many of these medicinal plants have shown positive effects on learning and memory, however there are some other articles that show using medicinal plants cause memory deficit. In the European traditional medicine, Sinapis alba is used to increase memory, but we did not find a scientific article to prove this effect. The aimof this study was to investigate the effect of Sinapis alba extract on passive avoidance memory, motorcoordination and its antioxidant capacity in male mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 48 male Balb/C mice (25-35 g) were randomly dividedinto 4 groups of 12 mice. Control group received normal saline (i.p.). Extract treated groups received Sinapis alba extract at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg (i.p.). Thirty minutes after injections, passive avoidance memory was measured using Shuttle box and motor-coordination wasmeasured by Rotarod test. Total antioxidant capacity and brain and serum MDA levels were also determined using colorimetric method. Finally, data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test. P<0.05 was considered as statistical difference level. Results:Sinapis alba extract at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg caused a significant decrease in the step through latency in Shuttle box test (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Mice receiving Sinapis alba extract at dose of 200mg/ kg spent less time on Rotarod (P<0.05) and significantincrease in serum and brain MDA levels (P<0.5 and P<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Sinapis alba extract impairs memory and motor coordination in mice which is probably due to increasing oxidative stress.