Comparative study on the effect of the pimpinella anisum and estradiol on the hippocampus and dentate gyrus of ovariectomized rats

The postmenopausal women have a considerable low level of estrogen hormone. The ovariectomized (OVX) rat is a good model to study the effects of estrogen decline that may cause interruption of the function of female organs, including the brain [1]. The estrogen’s effects on the brain are mediated by interaction of estrogen with two estrogen receptors α & β (ER α & β) [2]. Estrogen has neuroprotective and beneficial effects on the cognitive function of the brain. The hippocampus and dentate gyrus are considered recently as the extra reproductive brain areas for the action of estrogen and the target for the neuromodulatory effects of estrogen [3]. At the same time the hippocampus and the dentate gyrus are implicated in learning and memory processes [4]. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative cognitive disorder with defect in learning and recalling, so estrogen deprivation is considered as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease [5].