6‐Shogaol improves behavior and memory in Wistar rats prenatally exposed to lipopolysaccharide

Abstract Objective 6‐Shogaol, bioactive compound of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, has anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. The objective of the present study was to verify the effect of 6‐shogaol on behavioral parameters in a preclinical model based on a maternal immune activation (MIA) by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methodology Twelve pregnant Wistar rats received 100‐μg/kg LPS or saline solution on gestational day (GD) 9.5. Male offspring participated in the study and in the postnatal day (PND) 30 and 55 were supplemented with 6‐shogaol or saline solution, by gavage at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day, orally for 5 days. In the PND 35 and 60 was performed the behavioral tests: grooming, crossing, and rearing that evaluated repetitive movements, anxiety, and interest in the new, respectively, and the inhibitory avoidance test that evaluated short‐term (STM) and long‐term memory (LTM). Result Prenatal exposure to LPS increased the grooming and crossing episodes at different ages and reduced rearing episodes in PND 37. Treatment with 6‐shogaol reversed these parameters. In the inhibitory avoidance test, an improvement of memory was identified with 6‐shogaol in the STM and LTM at both ages comparing training and test session of treated groups and between groups. Conclusion Administration of 6‐shogaol reverses the stereotypy, exploratory behavior, and memory impairment in prenatal LPS‐exposed offspring, acting as a promising therapeutic component against brain disorders associated with the process of MIA.