Report of Health Care Original Article Volume 3, Issue 1, 2017, p. 10- 16 The Effects of Centella asiatica Aqueous Extract on some Blood Parameters in Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Abdolhassan Doulah *1 , Maryam Rafieirad 2 1. Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran 2. Department of Biology, Izeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Izeh, Iran Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neuropsychiatric disorder of the brain with a deadly outcome and unknown etiology (1). Patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) reportedly have reduced concentration and function of some brain transmitters, particularly acetylcholine and somatostatin, not only in the cerebral cortex, but also in subcortical structures (2). The brain substrates of learning and memory include several areas, one of which is the hippocampus (3). AD leads to a progressive deterioration of cognitive function with memory loss and injury to hippocampal neurons (4). The decline in cognitive functions can be largely related to cholinergic dysfunction arising from disruption of basal forebrain cholinergic pathways (5), impaired balance between several neurotransmitters has been implicated in the pathogenesis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) (6), with serotonin playing a pivotal role (7). The basal forebrain provides the major source of cholinergic input to the neocortex and hippocampus (8) and the cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis of mynert (NBM) are markedly degenerated in AD (9). Centella asiatica (CeA) is an Ayurvedic herb used to enhance memory and nerve function (10). The treatment with the water extract of Centella asiatica improves learning and memory deficits in Tg 2576 mice, an animal model of Aβ accumulation (2). Hematopoiesis, the dynamic process of blood cell production and http://jrhc.miau.ac.ir Abstract Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neuropsychiatric disorder of the brain with a deadly outcome and unknown etiology in which the concentration and function of some brain transmitters, particularly acetylcholine, reduce in AD in the cerebral cortex, e.g., the hippocampus. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of aquatic extract of Centella asiatica (CeA) leaf on hematological parameters in NBM (Nucleus Basalis of Mynert)- lesioned rats induced by Ibotenic acid (IA). Methods: Thirty-two male Wistar rats (20- 24 months old; weighing 330±30 g) were selected and randomly divided into four equal groups (n=12) including 1. Control group (which were intact rats), 2. L group (NBM- lesioned rats), 3. CeA group and 4. L+CeA group. NBM was bilaterally lesioned. Seven days after stereotaxic surgery, the total number of white blood cells (WBCs), the total number of red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin level (Hb), and hematocrit level (Hct) were assessed. For statistical analysis of data Mann Whitney U- test (p≤0.05) was used. Results: IA treatment induced a significant decrease of WBCs, followed by significant decrease in RBCs, Hb and Hct compared with control group (p≤0.05). Also, the lesion of the NBM after oral administration of Centella asiatica extract had no effect on the above blood parameters and even all of the parameters in two groups of CeA and CeA+L compared with the control group showed a non-significant increase (p≥0.05). Conclusion: It appears that some blood parameters decrease in rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Also, this research shows the important role of the cholinergic neurons of central nervous system in the regulation of erythropoiesis, also Centella asiatica extract can stimulate hematopoiesis. Keywords: Centella asiatica, Hematological Parameters, Rat, Alzheimer Received: 16 July 2016 Accepted: 26 December 2016 Published online: 1 January 2017 *Corresponding author: Abdolhassan Doulah. Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran Phone: +989173723087 Fax: +986136742323 Email: h_doulah@yahoo.com Competing interests: The authors declare that no competing interests exist. Citation: Doulah A, Rafieirad M. The effects of centella asiatica aqueous extract on some blood parameters in rat model of alzheimer's disease. Report of Health Care. 2017; 3 (1): 10- 16.