Researchers at Ibn Tofail University of kenitra city in Morocco have found that propolis from a native Moroccan plant enhances cognitive function in male rats under chronic stress.
Chronic stress negatively affects cognitive abilities and mental health. This study, published in “Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology”, explores how propolis might mitigate these effects.
The researchers focused on propolis derived from “Euphorbia resinifera”, a plant found in Morocco. They extracted active components using methanol and tested these on rats.
First, they divided 18 rats into three experimental groups: a stress-free control group, a stressed group that did not receive the extract, and the experimental group. The first group of six rats had no stressors, but the second and third groups received two stressors per day for six weeks.
After six weeks of stress, the rats in the third group were given a methanolic extract of propolis from a plant endemic to Morocco.
The stressed rats that received 200 mg/kg of propolis daily for two weeks showed improved memory and social behavior compared to the stressed rats without propolis.
“Memory was assessed using object recognition, Y-maze tests, and sociability measures,” the researchers wrote. Histological analysis revealed that chronic stress damaged the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but propolis helped protect these areas.
The findings suggest that propolis from “Euphorbia resinifera” may enhance memory and social interaction in stressed rats. Future research could validate these effects in larger samples and other animals.