Pharmacological screening of neurocognitive activity found in different plants and its comparison with tea: A descriptive review
AUTHORS : Mostafizur Rahman Mondal, Jashabir Chakraborty, Sayantan Maitra, Purabi Das, Diganta Deka DOI No. : NA DOI Link. : NA Neurocognitive functions are cognitive functions closely linked to the function of particular areas, neural pathways, or cortical networks in the brain substrate layers of neurological matrix at the cellular molecular level. A neurocognitive deficit is a reduction or impairment of cognitive function in the mental/ brain areas, but particularly when physical changes can be seen to have occurred in the brain, such as after neurological illness, mental illness, drug use, or brain injury. Tea is one of the most ancient and popular therapeutic beverages consumed around the world and reported to contain thousands of bioactive ingredients such as polyphenols, catechins, caffeine, amino acids etc.which plays a key role in prevention and treatment of many diseases. Consistent with abundant research on the benefits of caffeine, the performance benefits of tea were identified in a number of studies, with particularly consistent evidence for improved attention. Tea consumption also consistently improved self-reported alertness and arousal, whereas effects on pleasure or relaxation were less consistent. This review summarizes the research on the effects of tea and its ingredients like L-theanine, caffeine etc. on attention and behaviour in experimental animal. These data were compared with the reported plant extracts having neurcognitive effect already shown in experimental animals. Suitable experimental neuro-behavioural animal models mainly elevated plus maze test, zero maze test , open field test etc. were considered to be the basis of this comparative study. From the findings of the review it was revealed out that Tea has shown to be a better alternative in the therapy of neurocognition.
