Lack of Short-term Memory Improvement in Caenorhabditis elegans after Petunidin-3-glucoside Supplementation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Learning and memory can be enhanced by antioxidants by protecting the neurons against oxidative damage. Phytochemicals, like anthocyanins, may hold the potential to improve cognitive function by ameliorating neuronal damage induced by reactive oxygen species. Petunidin-3-glucoside (P3G) is one of the different classes of anthocyanin found in various plants. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of P3G on the cognitive function in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) exposed to glyphosate or ethanol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: P3G was purchased from AS Polyphenols (Norway). This compound was dissolved in distilled water to obtain the desired concentrations. The solutions were stored at 4°C until use. Worms were supplemented with various concentrations of P3G prior to massed training and chemotaxis assays. The collected data were presented as mean ± standard error of the mean, and results were analyzed as biological replicates with three trials. The statistical analysis was done through the SPSS 21.0 (IBM) software, and the results were considered statistically significant when P < 0.05. RESULTS: We found out that P3G did not affect the learning and short-term memory of C. elegans. P3G did not also salvage the decline in learning and memory of the nematodes after exposure to glyphosate or ethanol. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the antioxidant activity of P3G may not be enough to enhance learning and short-term memory in C. elegans nor protect their cognitive function against glyphosate nor ethanol-induced neuronal toxicity.