Metformin Attenuates Cognitive Deficits in Experimentally Induced Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

A study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of metformin on learning memory in
experimentally induced Alzheimer’s disease in Wistar rats. A total of 30 Wistar rats were divided in to
five groups of six rats each. Group 1 served as control. In Group 2,3 and 4 Alzheimer’s disease was
induced by administering aluminum chloride (17 mg/kg) orally to the animals for a period of 4 weeks
once daily. Group 1and 2 received distilled water, group 3 received rivastigmine (0.3mg/kg) and group 4
and five received metformin 100mg/kg. All the rats were subjected to passive avoidance test. At the end
of the experiment the rats were sacrificed and brain acetylcholinesterase level was estimated.
Administration of aluminium chloride resulted in poor learning and memory and this was significantly
reversed by rivastigmine and metformin. In conclusion, the memory impairment induced by aluminum
chloride was revered significantly by both rivastigmine and metformin.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Metformin, Rivastigmine, Passive avoidance test, Acetylcholinesterase.