Anacyclus pyrethrum extract improves spatial memory and cognition in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent dementia disorder, causing significant disability in the affected patients. This disorder is currently considered incurable. In this study, we aim to use the hydroalcoholic extract of Anacyclus Pyrethrum (AP) as a potential treatment for cognitive dysfunction in a rat model of AD induced with intracerebroventricular injection of Amyloid-beta 1–42. Forty-eight rats were randomly assigned to six groups ( n = 8): control, sham, Aβ-injected (5 µg, ICV), and treatment groups receiving AP extract (500 mg/kg/day), donepezil (0.3 mg/kg/day), or their combination for 14 days following AD induction. Spatial memory was assessed using the Morris Water Maze (MWM), and brain metabolic changes were evaluated using positron emission tomography (PET). Histopathological analyses were also performed. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan results supported the successful induction of Aβ‑related metabolic changes. MWM results showed that treatment groups significantly decreased swim distance to the platform, increased time spent in the target quadrant, and reduced mean distance from the former platform location. AP-treated, donepezil, and combination therapies demonstrated significantly better performance over time. Oral administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of AP was associated with improved memory performance in a rat model of AD. These results call for more research to assess the AP extract’s ability to reduce cognitive impairments in AD.