Nootropic Effect of Galinsoga parviflora Leaf Extract Using The Novel Object Recognition Test in Mice

Background: The global prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairments continues to rise, yet current pharmacological options offer limited efficacy and notable side effects. Galinsoga parviflora leaves contain neuroprotective flavonoids and phenolics, but their impact on recognition memory remains insufficiently explored. Objective: This study evaluated the nootropic activity of an ethanolic extract of Galinsoga parviflora leaves in scopolamine-induced memory-impaired mice using the Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT). Methods: Twenty-five male BALB/c mice were assigned to five groups: negative control (CMC-Na), positive control (donepezil 0.5 mg/kg bw), and three extract treatments (10%, 20%, 30%). Memory deficits were induced via intraperitoneal scopolamine (1 mg/kg bw). NORT evaluated recognition memory by recording exploration times for familiar (T1) and novel (T2) objects to derive the Discrimination Index (DI). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test. Results: The extract produced a dose-dependent increase in DI: 0.001 ± 0.039 (negative control), 0.11 ± 0.02 (10%), 0.28 ± 0.02 (20%), and 0.38 ± 0.01 (30%), compared to 0.46 ± 0.03 for donepezil. ANOVA revealed significant overall differences (p = 0.000). Post-hoc testing confirmed that the 30% extract significantly outperformed the negative control (p = 0.004) and approached donepezil efficacy. Conclusion: Galinsoga parviflora leaf extract mitigates scopolamine-induced recognition memory deficits in a dose-dependent manner. The 30% concentration exhibited the strongest effect, comparable to donepezil. Further studies on cholinergic biomarkers and histopathology are required to elucidate its neuroprotective pathways.