Effects of Malania oleifera Chun Oil on the Improvement of Learning and Memory Function in Mice

BACKGROUND: The fruits of Malania oleifera Chun & S. K. Lee have been highly sought after medically because its seeds have high oil content (>60%), especially the highest known proportion of nervonic acid (>55%). Objective of the Study. The objective was to explore the effects of different doses of Malania oleifera Chun oil (MOC oil) on the learning and memory of mice and to evaluate whether additional DHA algae oil and vitamin E could help MOC oil improve learning and memory and its possible mechanisms. METHODS: After 30 days of oral administration of the relevant agents to mice, behavioral tests were conducted as well as detection of oxidative stress parameters (superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione peroxidase) and biochemical indicators (acetylcholine, acetyl cholinesterase, and choline acetyltransferase) in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Experimental results demonstrated that MOC oil treatment could markedly improve learning and memory of mouse models in behavioral experiments and increase the activity of GSH-PX in hippocampus and reduce the content of MDA, especially the dose of 46.27 mg/kg. The addition of DHA and VE could better assist MOC oil to improve the learning and memory, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of oxidative stress and restrain the activity of AChE and also increase the content of ACh. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that MOC oil treatment could improve learning and memory impairments. Therefore, we suggest that MOC oil is a potentially important resource for the development of nervonic acid products.