Garcinia binucao crude ethanolic leaf extract prevents alcoholinduced neurotoxic effects on learning, short-term memory, and motor functions in Drosophila melanogaster

Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with cognitive and behavioral impairments. Drosophila melanogaster is a commonly used model for learning, memory, and motor function studies. We looked at Garcinia binucao to determine the ability of its crude ethanolic leaf extract to reduce deficits in learning, short-term memory, and motor functions due to alcohol exposure. Chronic alcohol exposure significantly decreased motor function by 22% (p < 0.05), learning function by 37% (p < 0.05), and short-term memory by 33% (p > 0.05). However, in flies fed with G. binucao extract (GBE) chronically exposed to alcohol effects of certain compounds, no significant reductions in motor, learning and in short-term memory functions were observed; instead, these functions increased (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that the extract is not only neuroprotective but is also potentially nootropic. GBE had low antioxidant activity despite the presence of triterpenes, flavonoids, and quinones, although these may have contributed minimally to the neuroprotective ability of GBE. The neuroprotective ability of GBE may then be explained by other mechanisms not dependent on the direct radical or oxidant scavenging properties of the phytochemicals in GBE, as in the modulation of signaling cascades which prevent neuronal apoptosis.