Journal of Isfahan Medical School

Journal of Isfahan Medical School

The Effects of Maternal Administration of Boswellia Gum Resin (Frankin-cense) during Lactation on Stereological Parameters of Rat Hippocampus

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors
Mohammad Hosseini Sharifabad 1
Ebrahim Esfandiari 2
1 Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Background: We have previously reported that maternal administration of Boswellia serrata gum resin (Frankincense) during lactation increased learning and memory performance in young rat offsprings. This study aimed to determine the likely structural alterations of hippocampus, as a vital centre involved in learning and memory, following administration of Frankincense during lactationMethods: In this experimental study, 2 month-old male Wistar rats whose mothers were given oral aqueous extract of the Boswellia serrata (100 mg/kg/day) during lactation (3 weeks), and their controls whose mothers received saline (n = 6) were anesthetized and transcardially perfused. All brains were removed and divided into two hemispheres. One hemisphere was selected for estimating the volumes of cellular layers of hippocampus and the total number of neurons, and the other for estimating the individual somal volume. The Cavalieri's principle and an optical fractionator and a rotator were employed to estimate the volumes of layers, total number of neurons and individual neuronal volume, respectively.Findings: Our results showed that no significant difference in the total number of neurons in hippocampal subregions of the experimental group compared to the controls. However, the volume of cellular layer of dentate gyrus and cornu ammon 3(CA3) and individual volume of their neurons increased following maternal administration of Frankincense during lactation. Conclusion: The increased perikaryal volume in the hippocampal neurons of offsprings following maternal administration of Frankincense during lactation might be considered as an indicator of improved function of hippocampus, i.e. memory. It might be due to the increases in contents of neurons such as neurotransmitters, intracellular organelles or the number of synaptic contacts.
Keywords
Development
Frankincense
Hippocampus
Rat
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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 29, Issue 165 - Serial Number 165
November and December 2012
Pages 2198-2207

  • Receive Date 16 July 2011
  • Accept Date 06 April 2022