Siti Norliyana Che Mat Zubaidi - Red Palm Oil Prevents Cognitive Impairment in a Rat Model of D-Galactose-Induced Aging
Shariff Halim - Red Palm Oil Prevents Cognitive Impairment in a Rat Model of D-Galactose-Induced Aging
Zamzarina Mohd Kasini - Red Palm Oil Prevents Cognitive Impairment in a Rat Model of D-Galactose-Induced Aging
Nur Ezza Fazleen - Red Palm Oil Prevents Cognitive Impairment in a Rat Model of D-Galactose-Induced Aging

Background: Age has a significant impact on neurodegenerative disease vulnerability with increasing levels of oxidative stress, causing damage to the neurons, mitochondria, protein, and DNA. Hence, brain aging has become a significant risk factor for developing neurodegenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease. This study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of Red Palm Oil (RPO) in preventing AD induced in the rat. Materials and Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into ۵ groups (n=۸) that comprised of the normal control group (saline water), negative control (D-Galactose, ۱۰۰mg/kg), two treatment groups that were administered by RPO daily (۲۰۰ and ۴۰۰ mg/kg) and Donepezil, (۰.۲۵ mg/kg) were given as positive control for ۲۱-days. Y-maze spontaneous alternation test was done weekly to evaluate the spatial working memory of the rats. At the end of treatment, biomarkers of oxidative stress such as GSH, SOD, and neurotransmitter biomarkers, dopamine in the blood, were measured through ELISA. Results: Rat pre-treated RPO showed significant improvement in exploring new areas compared to untreated rats (p < ۰.۰۵). On the other hand, current results showed a high level of dopamine and GSH in rats treated with RPO than D-galactose-induced rats after ۲۱ days of pre-treatment (p < ۰.۰۵). Meanwhile, total SOD was increased in all groups that were induced with D-galactose. Conclusion: Overall, RPO can improve cognitive impairment in rats with brain aging. This is owing to the antioxidant properties of RPO, which play a vital role in preventing oxidative stress. In the future, RPO could appear as a novel therapeutic molecular for brain disease.

Oxidative Stress, Brain Aging, Antioxidant, Red Palm Oil