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Artichoke extract and memory: grade D

Preliminary evidence. Direction: Benefit.

Evidence maturity: Mechanistic only

Educational guidance, not medical advice

Why this grade

Rubric condition met: Animal and cell evidence only; no controlled human outcome data

In aged mice, luteolin in the diet for 4 weeks improved spatial working memory, but it had no effect in young adult mice. In mice on a high-fat diet, oral luteolin improved maze and avoidance tasks, and in rats with experimental bile duct ligation artichoke leaf extract improved object recognition. As of November 11, 2026 we found no randomized trials of artichoke extract or luteolin on memory in healthy adults, so the proposal is D.

How sure are we?

Evidence maturity: Mechanistic only Animal studies only; no controlled human outcome data.

Tested as: Artichoke leaf extract

Who paid for the studies
Not stated (treated as not independent)
Risk of bias
Not assessed
Trial registry check
Not checked yet
Outcome measured
A test score, rating scale or performance measure
Who was studied
Matched
  • Could rise: Would move to C with any controlled human trial with a prespecified memory outcome.
  • Could fall: Would move to N only if adequately sized human RCTs found no effect.

Science is provisional. This grade reflects the evidence we found as of . Next review: .

Maturity sits beside each grade. The grade says what the evidence shows; maturity says how much of it there is and how well it is confirmed.

Established
many trials from several independent teams, including at least one registered in advance
Emerging
two or more trials, or one large registered trial, not yet independently confirmed
Early signal
one trial, small pilots, or results only on secondary outcomes
Mechanistic only
lab, animal or biomarker data, or uncontrolled reports; no controlled human results
Traditional use only
a traditional-use monograph and nothing else

How we grade evidence

Studies this grade rests on

EffectMixedNo effectSize shows participants (n)20102015202020252030Cell and mouse st…Mouse study (high…Rat study (bile d…Kam 2025, 2025: rat study (bile duct ligation model, 28 days), n not recorded, result not recordedLiu 2014, 2014: mouse study (high-fat diet model), n not recorded, result not recordedJang 2010, 2010: cell and mouse study (4-week diet), n not recorded, result not recorded
each study this grade rests on, by publication year and design. Solid: effect versus the comparator; half-filled: mixed; hollow: no effect; dashed: result not recorded yet. Larger marks had more participants.
Show the numbers
StudyYearDesignParticipantsResult
Jang 20102010cell and mouse study (4-week diet)not recordedresult not recorded
Liu 20142014mouse study (high-fat diet model)not recordedresult not recorded
Kam 20252025rat study (bile duct ligation model, 28 days)not recordedresult not recorded

Protective effect of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) leaf and receptaculum extracts against hepatic encephalopathy in bile duct ligated rats.

Kam Ö, Bebitoğlu BT, Şener G. Protective effect of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) leaf and receptaculum extracts against hepatic encephalopathy in bile duct ligated rats Metab Brain Dis, 2025. PMID 41055772

Result not recorded
Design
Rat study (bile duct ligation model, 28 days)
Population
Wistar rats (animal study)
Funding
not stated in the PubMed or Crossref record (declarations: none)

Luteolin protects against high fat diet-induced cognitive deficits in obesity mice.

Liu Y, Fu X, Lan N. Luteolin protects against high fat diet-induced cognitive deficits in obesity mice Behav Brain Res, 2014. PMID 24667364

Result not recorded
Design
Mouse study (high-fat diet model)
Population
Male C57BL/6J mice (animal study)
Funding
not stated in the PubMed or Crossref record; full text not read

Luteolin inhibits microglia and alters hippocampal-dependent spatial working memory in aged mice.

Jang S, Dilger RN, Johnson RW. Luteolin inhibits microglia and alters hippocampal-dependent spatial working memory in aged mice J Nutr, 2010. PMID 20685893

Result not recorded
Design
Cell and mouse study (4-week diet)
Population
Adult and aged mice; BV-2 microglia cells (animal and cell study)
Funding
NIH (NIA R01 AG016710; NIMH R01 MH069148); authors declare no conflicts

Search and history

Search (): luteolin[ti] AND (memory[ti] OR cognitive[ti] OR cognition[ti]) AND (rats[tiab] OR mice[tiab])

  • Graded D (awaiting approval)
  • D to D (approved): Editor sign-off November 13, 2026: grade matches the editor-approved final page
  • D to D (approved) (maturity: mechanistic only): Maturity, bias summary and re-check date added