Molecular neurobiologyJan 6, 2026

Protective Effects of Ficus deltoidea on Memory, Brain Tissue, and Amyloid Build-Up in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimers & Treatments Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jan 7, 2026

Abstract

Ficus deltoidea (FD) treatment significantly improved spatial memory and reduced amyloid plaques in an Alzheimer's disease-like model.

FD extract was administered orally at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg to male Wistar rats with an induced AD-like phenotype.
Spatial memory improvement was assessed using the T-maze test, indicating enhanced cognitive function.
Histological analysis revealed preservation of pyramidal neuron integrity in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus.
FD treatment led to a marked reduction in amyloid plaque formation associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Biochemically, FD significantly decreased hippocampal levels of amyloid-β (1-42) and β-secretase-1 (BACE-1) in a dose-dependent manner.

Simplified

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by cognitive decline, memory impairment, and accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques. While current treatments offer limited efficacy, medicinal plants such as Ficus deltoidea (FD), a traditional remedy, have shown promise due to their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. An AD-like phenotype was induced in male Wistar rats using D-galactose and aluminum chloride over 70 days. FD extract was administered orally at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg. Spatial memory was evaluated using the T-maze test. Histological analyses of the hippocampi's Cornu Ammonis 1 and 3 (CA1 and CA3) regions were conducted via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and Aβ plaques deposition was assessed with Congo red. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify hippocampal levels of Aβ (1-42) and β-secretase-1 (BACE-1). FD treatment significantly enhanced spatial memory, preserved pyramidal neuron integrity in CA1 and CA3, and reduced amyloid plaque formation. Biochemically, FD markedly decreased hippocampal Aβ (1-42) and BACE-1 concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, FD exhibits multi-target neuroprotective effects in an AD-like model, potentially via modulation of amyloidogenic pathways. Further studies are warranted to explore its mechanisms and therapeutic potential in other brain regions implicated in AD.

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Declarations. Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate: Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of UPM (reference number: UPM/IACUC/AUP-R051/2022). All procedures were conducted in compliance with guidelines by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of UPM. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

PubMed

Protective Effects of Ficus deltoidea on Memory, Brain Tissue, and Amyloid Build-Up in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

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