Influence of Rhaponticum uniflorum and Serratula centauroides dry extracts on the conditional reactions development with negative reinforcement in white rats

The study purpose: to evaluate the effect of the Rhaponticum uniflorum and Serratula centauroides dry extracts on the development of conditioned reactions with negative reinforcement in white rats.

Materials and research methods. The studies were conducted on Wistar white rats. Dry extracts of R. uniflorum and S. centauroides in doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg were administered per os to animals of the experimental groups. In the first series of experiments, the effect of the studied extracts on the development of conditional reactions of visual differentiation and active avoidance in intact animals was evaluated; in the second series – on the formation and preservation of the conditional reaction of passive avoidance against the background of acute hypoxia.

Research results. It was found that R. uniflorum (at doses of 50 and 200 mg/kg) and S. centauroides (at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg) extracts contribute to the acceleration of conditional reactions of visual differentiation production by 20-23% compared with the control. The most rapid formation in the section was observed in animals receiving R. uniflorum extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Against the background of the introduction of S. centauroides extract in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, the number of samples spent on the formation of active avoidance decreased by 21 and 23%, R. uniflorum extract in similar doses – by 27 and 25%, respectively, compared with the control. In animals treated with extract R. uniflorum at a dose of 200 mg/kg and S. centauroides extract at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, 1 hour after hypoxic exposure, conditional reaction of passive avoidance persisted in 83-92%, on day 3 – in 58% of animals. Against the background of the introduction of R. uniflorum extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg, active avoidance was formed in 100% of animals, and was preserved after 24 and 72 hours in 83 and 67% of animals.

Conclusion. R. uniflorum and S. centauroides extracts contribute to the acceleration of the development of conditioned reflexes with negative reinforcement both in intact animals and against the background of a hypoxic state. The most pronounced nootropic effect of the studied extracts is shown at a dose of 100 mg/kg.