en Physiology Physiology Original Research Original Research <strong>Background: </strong>Alzheimer&#39;s disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-beta plaques, neuronal loss, and cognitive dysfunction. Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathophysiology of AD, and it has been suggested that antioxidants may slow the progress of the disease. In this study, the possible protective effects of pelargonidin (a natural flavonoid) against amyloid &beta; (A&beta;)-induced behavioral deficits was investigated in rats.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Methods:</strong> Adult Wistar male rats were treated with intrahippocampal injections of the A&beta; (aa 25-35) and intraperitoneal injection of pelargonidin. Learning and spatial memory were tested using the Morris water maze (MWM) task. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay (FRAP assay). Data were analyzed using SPSS 20, and value of p&le;0.05 was considered significant.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Results:</strong> The results of this study showed that A&beta; significantly increased escape latency and the distance traveled in the MWM, and pelargonidin attenuated these behavioral changes. A&beta; induced a significant decrease in the total thiol content of hippocampus, and pelargonidin restored the hippocampal antioxidant capacity.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study suggest that pelargonidin can improve A&beta;-induced behavioral changes in rats.<br> &nbsp; Alzheimer’s disease, Amyloid β-peptide, Pelargonidin, Memory impairment, Hippocampus, Oxidative stress 822 827 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2926-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Sara Soleimani Asl s.soleimaniasl@umsha.ac.ir 200319475328460062264 200319475328460062264 No Neurophysiology Research Center, & Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Hugo Bergen hugo.bergen@umanitoba.ca 200319475328460062265 200319475328460062265 No Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada Niloufar Ashtari niloofar.ashtari@gmail.com 200319475328460062266 200319475328460062266 No Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada Shayan Amiri shaaadi2002@yahoo.com 200319475328460062267 200319475328460062267 No Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Marek J. Łos mjelos@gmail.com 200319475328460062268 200319475328460062268 No Biotechnology Centre, Silesian University of Technology, Chrobrego 8 str., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland, & LinkoCare Life Sciences AB, Linköping, Sweden Mehdi Mehdizadeh MEHDIZADEH.M@IUMS.AC.IR 200319475328460062269 200319475328460062269 Yes Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Anatomy, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran