Ginseng berry aqueous extract prevents scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice

Dexmedetomidine Improves Learning Functions in Male Rats Modeling Cognitive Impairment by Modulating the BDNF/TrkB/CREB Signaling Pathway

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a selective alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative and anxiolytic properties. Increasing evidence reports that DEX has a neuroprotective effect. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of DEX on learning and memory functions in rats with experimental cognitive impairment. In the study, 21 adult male rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups, namely control, Scopolamine (SCOP) and SCOP + DEX. Cognitive impairment was induced with 1 mg/kg SCOP daily for 21 days. DEX was administered at a dose of 10 µg/kg between days 14 and 21 of the experiment. Following the injections, a spatial memory test was performed with a Morris Water Maze (MWM). At the end of the experiment, the hippocampus was dissected. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acetylcholine (ACh) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels were determined by ELISA. The tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and Cyclic AMP-Response Element-Binding Protein (CREB) levels were measured by immunohistochemistry. DEX treatment improved the learning performance of rats compared to SCOP for 5 days. However, it did not significantly change memory performance. DEX increased the BDNF and ACh levels in the hippocampus while decreasing the AChE levels. Similarly, DEX treatment significantly increased CREB phosphorylation. No significant difference was observed between the TrkB receptor levels of the groups. This study demonstrated that the role of DEX in reducing SCOP-induced cognitive impairment is partially mediated by the increase in BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway activity.

Neuroprotective effects of Petiveria alliacea on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment mouse model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Petiveria alliacea L., commonly known as macura and gully root, is an important medicinal plant used in the Caribbean and Central America to treat ailments associated to the central nervous system, including poor memory.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To assess the effects of the P. alliacea leaves methanol fraction (PMF) on a scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment mouse model related to acetylcholinesterase activity and oxidative stress.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

After PMF administration at doses of 500 or 900 mg/kg, cognitive ability was evaluated using the Morris water maze (MWM), Y-maze (YM) and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. The mouse brain tissue was further assessed for acetylcholinesterase activity and antioxidant activity. Levels of oxidative stress were also evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione activity. Acute toxicity was also evaluated.

RESULTS

PMF led to memory improvement in the behavioral tests in mice with scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment. Moreover, PMF inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity and showed antioxidant potential that in turn attenuated cholinergic degradation. Additionally, PMF increased glutathione levels and glutathione reductase activity and reduced MDA levels in the brain. Moreover, no acute toxicity was detected with the use of PMF.

CONCLUSION

In a mouse model of scopolamine-induced cognitive deficit, PMF exhibited protective effects, decreasing oxidative damage and regulating cholinergic function in the brain bearing significant memory enhancing potency. These data suggest that PMF is a promising candidate for developing therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.

Antioxidative and neuroprotective potential of Acorus calamus linn. and Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. In Alzheimer's type dementia in rodent

The goal of this research study was to see how plant extracts of Acorus calamus Linn. and Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. overcome scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's type dementia in mice by activating the cholinergic system, anti-oxidant and protection of neuronal death in the brain (hippocampus region). Scopolamine (1 mg/kg i.p.) reduced mice's routine in behavioral parameters such as Morris Water Maze (MWM), Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), and also the locomotor activity. It also decreases antioxidant levels such as Reduced glutathione (GSH) and also Superoxide dismutase (SOD) but also increases the level of Acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) in brain. Assessment of various behavioral, and biochemical parameters (AChE, SOD, GSH, and Nitrite level) were compared with each group. Acorus calamus (hydro-alcoholic 1:1) 600 mg/kg p.o. and the combination (Acorus calamus 600 mg/kg p.o. + Cordia dichotoma 750 mg/kg p.o.) group showed significant results as compared to Cordia dichotoma 750 mg/kg p.o.in behavioral as well as in biochemical parameters. Histological studies showed significant neuroprotection in the Acorus calamus-treated group and the combination-treated groups. In the future, the Acorus calamus and the combination are possibly helpful in the treatment of various cognitive disorders or it may be valuable to investigate the pharmacological potential of such plant extracts during the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

The Untapped Potential of Ginsenosides and American Ginseng Berry in Promoting Mental Health via the Gut-Brain Axis

Despite the popularity of the ginseng (Panax) root in health research and on the market, the ginseng berry’s potential remains relatively unexplored. Implementing ginseng berry cultivations and designing berry-derived products could improve the accessibility to mental health-promoting nutraceuticals. Indeed, the berry could have a higher concentration of neuroprotective and antidepressant compounds than the root, which has already been the subject of research demonstrating its efficacy in the context of neuroprotection and mental health. In this review, data on the berry’s application in supporting mental health via the gut–brain axis is compiled and discussed.

Long-Term Effect of Porcine Brain Enzyme Hydrolysate Intake on Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Rats

No study has revealed the effect of porcine brain enzyme hydrolysate (PBEH) on memory impairment. We aimed to examine the hypothesis that PBEH intake modulates memory deficits and cognitive behavior in scopolamine (SC)-induced amnesia rats, and its mechanism, including gut microbiota changes, was determined. Sprague–Dawley male rats had intraperitoneal injections of SC (2 mg/kg body weight/day) at 30 min after daily feeding of casein (MD-control), PBEH (7 mg total nitrogen/mL) at 0.053 mL (Low-PBEH), 0.159 mL (Medium-PBEH), 0.478 mL (High-PBEH), or 10 mg donepezil (Positive-control) per kilogram body weight per day through a feeding needle for six weeks. The Normal-control rats had casein feeding without SC injection. PBEH dose-dependently protected against memory deficits determined by passive avoidance test, Y-maze, water-maze, and novel object recognition test in SC-induced rats compared to the MD-control. The High-PBEH group had a similar memory function to the Positive-control group. Systemic insulin resistance determined by HOMA-IR was lower in the PBEH groups than in the Normal-control but not the Positive-control. In parallel with systemic insulin resistance, decreased cholesterol and increased glycogen contents in the hippocampus in the Medium-PBEH and High-PBEH represented reduced brain insulin resistance. PBEH intake prevented the increment of serum TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations in the SC-injected rats. Hippocampal lipid peroxide and TNF-α contents and mRNA TNF-α and IL-1β expression were dose-dependently reduced in PBEH and Positive-control. PBEH decreased the hippocampal acetylcholinesterase activity compared to the MD-control, but not as much as the Positive-control. PBEH intake increased the α-diversity of the gut microbiota compared to the MD-control, and the gut microbiota community was separated from MD-control. In metagenome function analysis, PBEH increased the energy metabolism-related pathways of the gut microbiota, including citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, and amino acid metabolism, which were lower in the MD-control than the Normal-control. In conclusion, alleviated memory deficit by PBEH was associated potentially with not only reducing acetylcholinesterase activity but also improving brain insulin resistance and neuroinflammation potentially through modulating gut microbiota. PBEH intake (1.5–4.5 mL of 7 mg total nitrogen/mL for human equivalent) can be a potential therapeutic agent for improving memory impairment.

Paeonol Ameliorates Cuprizone-Induced Hippocampal Demyelination and Cognitive Deficits through Inhibition of Oxidative and Inflammatory Events

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system with autoimmune nature that is typified by varying degrees of demyelination and axonal damage. Paeonol is an active ingredient in some medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective property. This study was conducted to reveal whether paeonol can alleviate hippocampal demyelination and cognitive deficits in cuprizone-induced murine model of demyelination as a model of MS. C57BL/6 mice received oral cuprizone (400 mg/kg) for 6 weeks, and paeonol was administered p.o. at two doses of 25 or 100 mg/kg, starting from the second week post-cuprizone for 5 weeks. After assessment of learning and memory in different tasks, oxidative stress and inflammation were evaluated besides immunohistochemical assessment of hippocampal myelin basic protein (MBP). Paeonol (100 mg/kg) properly ameliorated cognitive deficits in Y maze, novel object discrimination (NOD) test, and Barnes maze with no significant improvement of performance in passive avoidance task. In addition, paeonol treatment at the higher dose was also associated with partial restoration of hippocampal level of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers including MDA, ROS, GSH, SOD, catalase, NF-kB, and TNF. Besides, paeonol improved MMP as an index of mitochondrial integrity and health and reduced MPO as a factor of neutrophil infiltration. Furthermore, paeonol treatment prevented hippocampal MBP immunoreactivity, indicating its prevention of demyelination. In conclusion, the current study showed the preventive effect of paeonol against cuprizone-induced demyelination and cognitive deficits through reversing most oxidative stress- and inflammation-related parameters in addition to its improvement of mitochondrial health.

Allium hookeri Extracts Improve Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Impairment via Activation of the Cholinergic System and Anti-Neuroinflammation in Mice

Allium hookeri (AH) is a medicinal food that has been used in Southeast Asia for various physiological activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the activation of the cholinergic system and the anti-neuroinflammation effects of AH on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. Scopolamine (1 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) impaired the performance of the mice on the Y-maze test, passive avoidance test, and water maze test. However, the number of error actions was reduced in the AH groups supplemented with leaf and root extracts from AH. AH treatment improved working memory and avoidance times against electronic shock, increased step-through latency, and reduced the time to reach the escape zone in the water maze test. AH significantly improved the cholinergic system by decreasing acetylcholinesterase activity, and increasing acetylcholine concentration. The serum inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ) increased by scopolamine treatment were regulated by the administration of AH extracts. Overexpression of NF-κB signaling and cytokines in liver tissue due to scopolamine were controlled by administration of AH extracts. AH also significantly decreased Aβ and caspase-3 expression but increased NeuN and ChAT. The results suggest that AH extracts improve cognitive effects, and the root extracts are more effective in relieving the scopolamine-induced memory impairment. They have neuroprotective effects and reduce the development of neuroinflammation.

Central Administration of Ampelopsin A Isolated from Vitis vinifera Ameliorates Cognitive and Memory Function in a Scopolamine-Induced Dementia Model

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive degeneration of the function of the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system and the decline of cognition and memory abilities. The dysfunctions of the cognitive and memory battery are closely related to inhibitions of neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and brain-derived cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) to associate with the cholinergic system and long-term potentiation. Vitis vinifera, the common grapevine, is viewed as the important dietary source of stilbenoids, particularly the widely-studied monomeric resveratrol to be used as a natural compound with wide-ranging therapeutic benefits on neurodegenerative diseases. Here we found that ampelopsin A is a major compound in V. vinifera and it has neuroprotective effects on experimental animals. Bath application of ampelopsin A (10 ng/µL) restores the long-term potentiation (LTP) impairment induced by scopolamine (100 μM) in hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses. Based on these results, we administered the ampelopsin A (10 ng/µL, three times a week) into the third ventricle of the brain in C57BL/6 mice for a month. Chronic administration of ampelopsin A into the brain ameliorated cognitive memory-behaviors in mice given scopolamine (0.8 mg/kg, i.p.). Studies of mice’s hippocampi showed that the response of ampelopsin A was responsible for the restoration of the cholinergic deficits and molecular signal cascades via BDNF/CREB pathways. In conclusion, the central administration of ampelopsin A contributes to increasing neurocognitive and neuroprotective effects on intrinsic neuronal excitability and behaviors, partly through elevated BDNF/CREB-related signaling.

Brassica oleracea Prevents HCl/Ethanol-Induced Gastric Damages in Mice

Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. (cabbage) is a popular vegetable with a wide range of pharmacological activities that help to promote human health. The present study investigated the beneficial effects of B. oleracea var. capitata L. extract (BOE) on HCl/ethanol (H/E)-induced gastric damages in mice. Pre-administration of BOE (25–100 mg/kg) for 7 consecutive days significantly decreased macroscopically visible lesion on the gastric mucosa induced by H/E. In addition, results from hematoxylin and eosin-stained gastric tissue showed that BOE inhibited invaded percentage of lesion and prevented the reduction in mucosal thickness in peri-ulcerative region. BOE significantly alleviated the H/E-mediated decreases in Alcian blue binding, total hexose, sialic acid, and collagen in the gastric tissue, suggesting BOE attenuates the gastric damage via preserving the integrity of gastric mucus. Moreover, BOE significantly decreased histamine level in the plasma and reduced mRNA levels associated with secreting gastric acid. Furthermore, BOE inhibited myeloperoxidase activity and suppressed nuclear factor-κB mRNA and its dependent inflammatory genes expression induced by H/E. BOE also strengthened antioxidant enzyme activity, with a mitigating H/E-mediated increase in malondialdehyde level of the gastric tissue. Thus, these results suggest that BOE has the potential to protect the gastric tissue via inhibiting gastric acid secretion, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Protective effect of mangiferin on memory impairment: A systematic review

Memory impairment (MI) is one of the predominant criteria generally used to identify schizophrenia, dementia and amnesia that are associated with neurodegenerative disorders by evaluating patient’s cognitive symptoms. To date, there is no available treatment that can completely mitigate MI. Currently, there is a trend in recent investigations towards symptomatic therapy approaches using a variety of natural compounds. Mangiferin is one of them that have been investigated extensively. Mangiferin is a naturally occurring potent glucoxilxanthone and is mainly isolated from the Mangifera indica (Mango) plant. This review is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview on the efficacy of mangiferin on MI, based on in-vivo animal studies. After screening through articles identified from Scopus and PubMed based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 11 articles between 2009 and 2019 were included. The minimum and maximum dose of mangiferin were 10 and 200 mg/kg respectively and administered over the period of 12–154 days. The results of 11 articles showed that mangiferin effectively improved spatial recognition, episodic aversive events, short- and long-term memories primarily occurring via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The outcomes of the review revealed that mangiferin improves memory and cognitive impairment in different animal models, indicating that it has potential preventive and therapeutic roles in MI.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Jiuwei Zhenxin Granules in Treating Depression: An Overview

Depression is known as "Yu Zheng" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Jiuwei Zhenxin granules (JZG) is a type of TCM. According to TCM theory, it nourishes the heart and spleen, tonifies Qi, and tranquilizes the spirit, and may also has effects in the treatment of depression. Here, we systematically reviewed recent basic and clinical experimental studies of JZG and depression, including studies of the pharmacological mechanisms, active ingredients, and clinical applications of JZG in depression treatment. This review will deepen our understanding of the pharmacological mechanisms, drug interactions, and clinical applications of TCM prescriptions and provide a basis for the development of new drugs in the treatment of depression.