Objective: We investigated the protective effect of ciproxifan on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced memory impairment by altering the cholinergic system in a mouse model.
Materials and methods: Groups of mice were given ciproxifan (1 or 3 mg/kg, p.o.) for 30 days. Neurotoxicity was induced with four doses of LPS (250 µg/kg, i.p.) from day-22 to day-25 of drug treatment in three groups. Then, mice were subjected to behavioral assessments using tests [elevated plus maze (EPM), novel object recognition (NOR), and Y-maze]. Also, brain tissues were collected for estimation of cholinergic transmission [acetylcholine (ACh) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels].
Results: Ciproxifan could rescue the memory impairment caused by LPS by shortening the transfer latency in the EPM test, increasing the time spent to explore a novel object and increasing the Discrimination Index in the NOR test and increasing the number of entries to the novel arm and duration of time spent in the novel arm in the Y-maze test. Ciproxifan increased the levels of ACh by decreasing AChE activity in LPS-treated mice.
Conclusions: Ciproxifan treatment can improve memory impairment in mice by increasing ACh levels and decreasing AChE levels.