Abstract
PURPOSE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive decline and memory impairment, amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Current therapies provide symptomatic treatment but do not address the exact cause of the disease. Caraway oil, derived from Carum carvi, is rich in carvone and limonene with reported anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of caraway oil in an aluminum chloride-induced rat model of neurotoxicity. METHODS: Albino Wistar rats were randomized into five groups: normal control, disease control (aluminum chloride, 100 mg/kg), standard (donepezil, 1 mg/kg), and caraway oil treatment groups (100 and 200 mg/kg). Treatments were administered orally for 42 days. Behavioral assessments included locomotor activity, the Morris water maze, the elevated plus maze, and passive avoidance tests. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and oxidative stress markers were assessed in the hippocampus and cortex. RESULTS: Caraway oil administration significantly improved locomotor activity and spatial memory in rats at 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg. The oil showed a significant effect on oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus and cortex. AChE activity was also improved significantly (p<0.001) after caraway oil treatment. CONCLUSION: Caraway oil demonstrated significant neuroprotective effects in aluminum chloride-induced neurotoxicity, improving cognitive and behavioral functions and reducing oxidative stress. These findings suggest that caraway oil may have therapeutic potential in the management of AD.