Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: In ethno-medical practices, several formulations containing Syzygium aromaticum (L) are used for cognitive improvement. In order to evaluate the beneficial effect of clove on learning and memory, an experimental study was conducted in normal male mice. In this study we used a Shuttle Box device to evaluate the active avoidance learning and memory in mice. Different doses of an ethanol extract of clove (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) were administered to animals in the test groups. The learning ability and memory recalls were assessed and compared statistically with those of control animals. Our data showed that during the learning procedure the mean numbers of free shock trials in the test groups were increased compared with the control group but the difference was significant (P=0.007) only in the case of the 100 mg/kg clove extract. In the short- and long-term memory assessments the animals in the test groups received less shocks than the control group and the differences were significant in the case of the 100 and 200 mg/kg clove extract. Our findings indicate that acute administrations of ethanolic extracts of clove enhance the learning and memory recall ability in mice in an inverse dose-dependent manner.

Key words: clove, learning, memory, mice