Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3843

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) on behavioral deficits and memory impairment of rats surviving sepsis

João Eudes Filho
  • João Eudes Filho
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Dâmaris Silveira
  • Dâmaris Silveira
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Aluízio Carlos Soares
  • Aluízio Carlos Soares
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Fabiana Pirani Carneiro
  • Fabiana Pirani Carneiro
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Melissa Sousa de Assis
  • Melissa Sousa de Assis
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Franco Batista Leite
  • Franco Batista Leite
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Niraldo Paulino
  • Niraldo Paulino
  • Medical Lex Gestão de Informações e Cursos Ltda. Av. Desembargador Vitor Lima, 260, sala 908, Ed. Madson Center - Trindade, 88040-400, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Greice Maria Souza
  • Greice Maria Souza
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Mônica Valero da Silva
  • Mônica Valero da Silva
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Stéphanie Marchiori
  • Stéphanie Marchiori
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Karla Amaral
  • Karla Amaral
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Nadyelle Targino de Melo
  • Nadyelle Targino de Melo
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Vania Moraes Ferreira
  • Vania Moraes Ferreira
  • Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, s/n, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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  •  Received: 02 October 2016
  •  Accepted: 22 February 2017
  •  Published: 25 February 2017

Abstract

Sepsis has become one of the most frequent causes of mortality in intensive care centres. So far, there is no effective pharmacotherapy that can prevent or improve the neurological consequences and enhance survival. The goal of this study is to investigate the neuroprotective effect of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) on behavioural dysfunctions produced in sepsis-surviving rats. Adult male rats were subjected to caecal ligation and puncture and the control animals were submitted to the sham operation. Lemon balm ethanolic extract or saline, given orally, was administered for one week after surgery procedures. Locomotion, anxiety, depressive behaviour and memory were investigated. In the elevated plus-maze (EPM), the percentage of open arm entries and open arm time was very significant in the animals treated with lemon balm extract, similar to the diazepam response in sham-operated and sepsis-surviving rats. Locomotion in open field tests and the enclosed arm entries in the EPM were not significantly altered by treatments. In the forced swimming (FS) test, the extract was effective at reducing the immobility time as that demonstrated by fluoxetine. In the step-down inhibitory avoidance test, the extract eased the effects on memory of sepsis-surviving animals. Collectively, these results demonstrate that lemon balm ethanolic extract could be used for the prevention of cognitive and mood-related deficits that may be associated with sepsis sequelae.

Key words: Anxiety, depression, locomotion, Melissa officinalis, memory.

Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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