Improvement in Long-Term Memory following Chronic Administration of Eryngium planum Root Extract in Scopolamine Model: Behavioral and Molecular Study.

Marcin Ozarowski,Barbara Thiem,Radoslaw Kujawski,Malgorzata Kujawska,Boguslaw Czerny,Przemyslaw L Mikolajczak,Jaromir Budzianowski,Jadwiga Jodynis-Liebert,Teresa Bobkiewicz-Kozłowska,Piotr Kachlicki,Michal Szulc,Ewa Kaminska,Izabela Kędziora,Agnieszka Seremak-Mrozikiewicz,Anna Piasecka,Joanna Bartkowiak-Wieczorek,Anna Bogacz

doi:10.1155/2015/145140

Abstract

Eryngium planum L. (EP) is as a rare medicinal plant with a lot of potentials as pharmaceutical crops. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of subchronic (28-fold) administration of a 70% ethanol extract of EP roots (200 mg/kg, p.o.) on behavioral and cognitive responses in Wistar rats linked with acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and beta-secretase (BACE-1) mRNA levels and AChE and BuChE activities in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. On the last day of experiment, 30 min after the last dose of EP or Huperzine A (HU), scopolamine (SC) was given at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneally. The results of a passive avoidance test showed an improvement in long-term memory produced by the EP extract in both scopolamine-induced rats and control group. EP caused an insignificant inhibition of AChE and BuChE activities in the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. EP decreased mRNA AChE, BuChE, and BACE-1 levels, especially in the cortex. Our results suggest that the EP extract led to the improvement of the long-term memory in rats coupled with total saponin content. The mechanism of EP action is probably complicated, since HPLC-MS analysis showed 64 chemical compounds (phenolics, saponins) in the extract of EP roots.

Highlights

Nowadays, a global trend for discovery and development of new drugs from natural sources to prevent or slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases) is clearly visible [1, 2]
HPLC-UV-MS showed that 64 various chemical compounds like triterpenoid saponins (36 compounds of unknown chemical structure), phenolic acids (p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid derivatives), polyphenolic acids, and others were determined in the Eryngium planum L. (EP) extract (Table 1, Figure 1)
The analysis revealed that p-coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids were identified in conjugation with glycosides in the EP extract

Summary

Introduction

A global trend for discovery and development of new drugs from natural sources to prevent or slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases) is clearly visible [1, 2]. The above-mentioned studies are a part of the search for new neuroprotective natural origin drug candidates for AD treatment. Plant extracts containing various biologically active compounds may exert a number of pleiotropic effects in CNS, by elevation of acetylcholine concentration in the synaptic cleft, and by decreasing beta-amyloid deposition and due to their antioxidative properties. Numerous plant extracts have been used to treat age-related cognitive disorders [1, 10, 11]. Experimental reports suggest that some plant extracts and isolated chemical compounds (e.g., luteolin and myricetin) could have neuroprotective effects against beta-amyloid via inhibition of betasecretase (BACE-1) [14, 15]

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