Behavioral effect of Cassia singueana Del. (Fabaceae) extract against isolation rearing-induced cognitive impairment in albino rats

Early life stress negatively alters brain development and couldlead to the development of psychiatricdisorder. Exposing animals to early-life adverse events, including maternal separation or social isolation, greatly affects brain development and adult behaviour and may contribute to the occurrence of psychiatric manifestations, such as positive, negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. These symptoms can be depicted in different animal models. Aim: This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of Cassia singueana on isolation rearing-induced cognitive impairment in rats. Materials and Methods: Pharmacological intervention (Risperidone 1mg/kg/day, graded doses of Cassia singueana extract or Distilled water 10ml/kg) was introduced 4 weeks(adolescence) and one group 8 weeks(young adulthood) after IR (i.e., rats were 7- or 11-week-old). The intervention lasted for 8 weeks, after which the rats in all the various groups were subjected toopen field test, forced swim test, novel object recognition test, y-maze and post isolation grooming test. Rats’ hippocampus immediately after sacrifice was removed to measure the level of MDA, SOD and GSH. Results: Cassia singueana extract significantly decrease the hyper locomotion in open field, it also significantly decrease the duration of immobility in forced swim test. CSE also increase the exploration time of novel object and improved the recognition index. The extract also significantly increases the number of actual alternation and spontaneous alternation in y-maze. However the extract did not improve the duration of grooming in isolation reared rats. CSE also significantly improved the level of antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion: The study results revalidate the utility of the isolation rearing paradigm in exploring mental disorders with neurodevelopmental origin, especially schizophrenia and Cassia singueana extract contained phytochemicals with tendency to ameliorate all the three symptoms of schizophrenia possibly through their antioxidant properties.