Introduction. α-Amylases are widely used in the food industry as an enzyme preparation (EP) for the degradation of carbohydrates. The genetically engineered strain K. phaffii 2xAmy-BaLi-a-II-ZeoR-(Y-5231) is a modern biotechnological producer of this EP. Upon oral administration in an active form, α-amylase can potentially influence the level of releasing peptides that modulate the production of cholecystokinin, a mediator involved in the regulation of digestion and behavioral acts, including the feeling of satiety. The aim of this work was to assess the behavioral responses and motor activity of animals to exclude a possible neurotropic effect of the α-amylase EP.
Methods. The study was conducted on laboratory animals in a subacute experiment (90 days) with intragastric administration of the EP at doses of 1, 10, and 100 mg TOS/kg/day. Memory function was assessed using the passive avoidance conditioned reflex (CPAR) test on days 59, 60, and 80 of the experiment. Anxiety-like functions and locomotor activity were studied once using the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) test.
Results. The study revealed no statistically significant differences between the experimental groups and the control group. The parameters of memory trace formation and retrieval in the CPAR test in animals administered the EP corresponded to the physiological norm and did not indicate any impairment of learning processes or memory consolidation. In the EPM test, the parameters of motor activity, orienting reactions, and anxiety levels in all experimental groups were within the range of values characteristic of control animals.
Conclusion. The patterns of behavioral and locomotor activity in all experimental groups corresponded to the normal reactions of the control group. The investigated α-amylase enzyme preparation does not possess neurotropic properties and does not affect the memory function of rats within the studied doses under 90-day exposure.
Funding. Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (FGMF-2025-0004).
