cinidon-ethyl and Memory-Disorders

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on the nitric oxide (NO) system in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex in cognitively impaired aged rats. Using the Morris water maze, aged-unimpaired (AU) and aged-impaired (AI) rats were chosen from aged rats. All aged rats exhibited elevated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activities and decreased neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activities in the both brain regions. The changes were more pronounced in the brain of AI rats, especially in the hippocampus. Furthermore, AI rats greatly lowed the percentage of change of hippocampal nNOS activity in the presence of protein kinase inhibitors or phosphatase inhibitor, which meant that AI animals existed in a hardly modified nNOS dephosphorylated state in hippocampus. LSPC supplementation [50, 100 mg/kg of body weight (BW), per os (p.o.)] for 7 weeks significantly decreased iNOS activities and improved hippocampal nNOS phosphorylation status in AI animals. These results suggested that changes in the NO system may involve in the ameliorative effects of LSPC on cognitive deficits in AI animals.

Topics: Aging; Animals; Cognition; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Hippocampus; Isoenzymes; Lotus; Memory Disorders; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Nitrites; Phosphorylation; Proanthocyanidins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Messenger; Seeds

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effects of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod on cAMP-response element-binding protein phosphorylation in hippocampus and cerebral cortex in cognitively impaired aged rats. Based on Morris water maze, aged unimpaired and aged impaired rats were chosen from aged rats. Comparing with young and aged unimpaired animals, aged impaired rats exhibited significant reduction in hippocampal but not cortical cAMP-response element-binding phosphorylation states as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA and protein expressions, which were accompanied by decreased phosphorylation states of hippocampal extracellular signal-related kinase (42/44) and calcium calmodulin kinase IV. Lotus seedpod supplementation (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight intragastric administration) for 7 weeks significantly reversed all these declines happened in hippocampus except calcium calmodulin kinase IV phosphorylation levels. These results suggested that lotus seedpod might enhance cAMP-response element-binding-dependent transcription through the activation of extracellular signal-related kinase signalling pathway, which might contribute to its ameliorative effects on cognitive deficits in aged impaired animals.

Topics: Aging; Animals; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4; Cerebral Cortex; Cognition Disorders; CREB-Binding Protein; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Female; Hippocampus; Lotus; Maze Learning; Memory Disorders; Phosphorylation; Plant Extracts; Proanthocyanidins; Protein Kinase C-alpha; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Messenger

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice. The capacities of memory and learning were evaluated by the Morris water maze and the step-down avoidance test. LSPC (50, 100, 150 mg/kg BW, p.o.) significantly reversed scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze test, as evaluated by shortened escape latency and swimming distance. In the step-down avoidance test, LSPC (50, 100, 150 mg/kg BW, p.o.) treatment significantly reduced the number of errors and shortened latency compared with that of scopolamine. In addition, LSPC was also found to inhibit acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activity. These results of this study suggest that LSPC may play a useful role in the treatment of cognitive impairment caused by AD and aging.

Topics: Acetylcholinesterase; Animals; Avoidance Learning; Brain; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Lotus; Male; Maze Learning; Memory Disorders; Mice; Plant Extracts; Proanthocyanidins; Scopolamine; Seeds

To study the co-effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seed pod (LSPC) and bilobalide (BIL) on ameliorating scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in young mice.. Fifty male Kunming mice with similar learning and memory capabilities were selected by Morris water maze test and were randomized into 5 groups (n=10 in each group): control group, scopolamine group, L-(LSPC+BIL) group (50 mg/kg LSPC+10 mg/kg BIL), M-(LSPC+BIL) group (100 mg/kg LSPC+20 mg/kg BIL), H-(LSPC+BIL) group (150 mg/kg LSPC+30 mg/kg BIL). Scopolamine model with impaired learning and memory was established by scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg), and after 10 min mice were tested. In L-, M-, and H-(LSPC+BIL) groups, mice were treated with LSPC and BIL ig. for 30 days, while mice in the other 2 groups were treated with normal saline ig. instead. After the 30-day's treatment, the co-effect of LSPC and BIL on learning and memory was tested by Morris water maze and the step-down avoidance tests.. The memory impairment caused by scopolamine in young mice could be ameliorated by co-treatment of LSPC and BIL, as indicated by significantly shorter escape latency and swimming distance in the Morris water maze test, when compared with those in the scopolamine group. In the step-down avoidance test, mice in all the 3 dose groups showed significantly smaller number of errors and longer latency than mice in the scopolamine group did.. Co-treatment of LSPE and BIL can ameliorate scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in young mice.

Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cyclopentanes; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Therapy, Combination; Furans; Ginkgolides; Lotus; Male; Maze Learning; Memory Disorders; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Plant Extracts; Proanthocyanidins; Reaction Time; Scopolamine; Seeds; Statistics, Nonparametric

The major purpose of this study was to determine the effect of procyanidins extracted from the lotus seedpod (LSPC) on the learning and memory impairments in cognitively impaired aged rats. Based on Morris water maze performance compared with young female rats, aged unimpaired (AU) and aged impaired (AI) rats were chosen from aged female rats. LSPC supplementation (50, 100 mg/kg BW, p.o.) for 7 weeks significantly improved learning and memory impairments in AI animals in the Morris water maze test, as evaluated by shortened escape latency and swimming distance. Aged rats had significantly declined antioxidant defense capacities and significantly increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation levels in hippocampus and cerebral cortex than young rats. Further, AI group had higher protein oxidation level compared with AU group. LSPC (50, 100 mg/kg BW, p.o.) significantly reversed the decline of antioxidant defense capacities and significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation levels in hippocampus and cerebral cortex of AI rats. In addition, LSPC significantly restored acetylcholine (ACh) contents and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in hippocampus and cerebral cortex of AI animals. The results of this study suggest that LSPC may play a useful role in the treatment of cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer's disease and aging.

Topics: Acetylcholine; Acetylcholinesterase; Age Factors; Animals; Antioxidants; Cognition Disorders; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Glutathione; Glutathione Peroxidase; Lotus; Maze Learning; Memory Disorders; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Proanthocyanidins; Protein Carbonylation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rejuvenation; Seeds; Superoxide Dismutase; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances