Objective: The present study investigated the effect of Centella asiatica ethanolic extract (CE) on learning and memory impairment induced by either transient bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (T2VO) or an intraperitoneal injection of scopolamine in mice.
Material and Method: CE (100, 300, 1,000 or 1,500 mg/kg, p.o.) were administered to learning and memory impaired mice once daily for 8 consecutive days. Learning and memory performance were evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM) and step-down passive avoidance (PA) test. Changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the brain were determined by lipid peroxidation assay.
Results: T2VO mice exhibited learning and memory impairment in the MWM and PA tests. Treatment with CE ameliorated the learning and memory impairment of T2VO mice. Furthermore, CE significantly reduced MDA level in the brain of T2VO mice. On the other hand, administration of CE did not attenuate learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine in mice.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrated ameliorating effect of CE on learning and memory impairment in T2VO mice. Furthermore, it is likely that the positive effect of CE observed could be, at least partly, accounted by its antioxidative property. Thus, CE might be beneficial for memory impairment in which oxidative stress is an underlying cause.

Keywords: Centella asiatica, Learning and memory, Transient bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (T2VO), Scopolamine