Abstract
Background: Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal (family Leguminosae) are the sources of Gum Arabic that is widely used in food-processing and pharmaceutical industries. The neuropharmacological activities of A. senegal and A. seyal remain unexplored. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the neuropharmacological activities of A. senegal and A. seyal. Materials and Methods: Behavior, variations in selected blood parameters, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and lipid peroxidation level were studied in normal Albino mice that received A. senegal and A. seyal extracts. Results: The results revealed a significant decrease in the body weight of mice after the treatment with the extract of A. senegal and A. seyal compared to the control group. The locomotor activity in the treated mice decreased as well. In forced swimming test (FST), the treated mice showed a marked reduction in immobility respective to increase in the dose. The anxiety reflex test ( FRT) revealed an increase in the percentage of time spent in the open arms of the maze. The treatment resulted in a notable decrease in motion balance and function. The active avoidance test revealed a dose-dependent reduction in avoidance. The study provided the evidence that A. senegal and A. seyal contributed to reduction in plasma cholesterol and glucose levels in treated mice, with no marked variations in hemoglobin level. Estimation of AChE resulted in minor decline in the activity in the treated group of mice. A. senegal was safer than A. seyal, but exerted toxicity at high dose. Conclusions: Low doses of A. senegal have the potential to be used for the development of the treatment for neurological disorders.