Objective: Several studies have been performed on Cinnamomum verum,but not much is known about the activity of Cinnamomum verum on Memory Enhancing.Therefore Cinnamomum verum is selected for this study to understand its efficacy on Learning and Memory. 

Background: Learning and Memory are the basic need through which we try to interact with surrounding, but with stress, depression in our socio-economical and sedentary lifestyle which affects our mind and behaviour and in turn they also alter our thinking process and dampens our learning and memory.In Unani medicine,many drugs are described to be effective in enhancing the memory but only very few of them have been scientifically evaluated. So, one of the single drug is, Cinnamomum verum.In the present study it was evaluated for its learning & memory enhancing effect in experimentally induced stress in Male wistar albino rats.

Methods: Animals were divided into 4 groups with 6 animals in each group, Group I Control, Group II Acute Noise Stress alone, Group III treated with C. verum and Group IV Stress and Drug Treated. Group I and II received equal amount of saline, whereas Group III and IV was administered with C. verum powder in a dose of 100 mg/Kg/body weight dissolved in distilled water (1ml) and administrated orally for 22 consecutive days. Reference Memory Error, Working Memory Error, Triad Error and Total Time Taken were noted using 8-Arm and Y-Maze were evaluated and statistically compared with the similar values obtained in all the groups for same duration respectively. Phytochemical studies were also done to know the active compound & constituent of C. verum.

Results: Oral administration of C. verum in the treated group exhibit high percentage of correct responses when compared to the control rats, C. verum treated group also exhibit decreased Reference Memory Error, Working Memory Error, Total Time Taken and Latency period compared to control and stress rats.Both 8 Arm and Y Maze showed the memory enhancing property of C. verum.After withdrawal from the drug for 10 days, the test rats showed an improved performance compared to the control rats, which can be interpreted as good retention performance.

Conclusions: Present study shows that Cinnamomum verum improves learning and memory it may be due to the presence of Cinnamon being an exceptional source of anti-oxidant; it also contains phyto-chemicals that assist the brain in metabolizing glucose, an essential form of energy for mental function.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/cinnamomum-verum-on-learning-and-memory-in-wistar-albino-rats/