Exploring the Potential of Nano-Encapsulated Elettaria Cardamom Oil as Anti-Alzheimer Agent

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that contributes significantly to the global prevalence of dementia in the elderly population worldwide. The current study's goal is to examine the promising effects of cardamom oil in nano-encapsulated form, as a neuroprotective agent in rats suffering from AD like symptoms induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl3). Sixty male albino rats classified as follows: Group (I) =Control; Group (II)=AD; Group (III)=AD+donepezil; Group (IV)=AD+1/10th crude cardamom oil; Group (V)=AD+1/10th nano-encapsulated cardamom oil; Group (VI)=AD+ donepezil +1/10th nano-encapsulated cardamom oil. The experiment period was 42 days. Amyloid-β (Aβ), acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), interleukin-17 (IL-17), fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured. Also histopathology for brain tissues was done. Our results showed that there is a significant decrease in BDNF, Ach, PGC-1α and FND C5 while a significant increase in IL-17, Aβ and AChE in AD rats when compared with control group. Treatment with donepezil is associated with a significant increase in BDNF and Ach and significant decrease in IL-17, Aβ and AChE when compared with Alzheimer group. All parameters were improved significantly when the rats were treated with nano-encapsulated cardamom oil when compared with Alzheimer group. This study demonstrated that cardamom oil protects against the neurotoxicity caused by aluminum chloride and histopathological studies support this biochemical results. We conclude that the cardamom oil in nano form in a dose of 1/10th is a promising natural protecting agent of neural cell during Alzheimer's disease.