STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF NANOPARTICLES CONTAINING Α-HUMULENE ON MEMORY ANALYSIS THROUGH BEHAVIORAL TESTS IN A Β-AMYLOID 1-42 NEUROINFLAMMATION MODEL

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of alpha-humulene, a sesquiterpene found in essential oils of plants such as Erva-baleeira, on behavior and memory in an experimental model of neuroinflammation induced by beta-amyloid peptide (1-42). Thirty‐three Rattus norvegicus subjects were divided into four groups: negative control (CN), positive control (CP), treatment with alpha-humulene (HUM), and treatment with nanoparticles loaded with alpha-humulene (NHUM), with treatments administered for 15 days. The nanoparticles displayed specific characteristics (mean diameter: 210.1 ± 3.1 nm; polydispersity index: 0.090 ± 0.037; zeta potential: +45.0 ± 1.60 mV; encapsulation efficiency: +64.0 ± 1.93%). In the Morris Water Maze test, the treatment groups showed significantly reduced latency times, indicating improved spatial memory. Moreover, in the conditioned fear test, the HUM and NHUM groups exhibited altered responses to visual and auditory stimuli compared to the control groups. In conclusion, nanoparticles containing alpha-humulene improved both behavioral outcomes and memory performance in this neuroinflammatory model, suggesting a potential therapeutic role in addressing deficits associated with beta-amyloid-induced neuroinflammation.