• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2008

Two decursin derivatives were synthesized from decursinol. Compounds 1 and 2 were determined as 7-{3-[4-(2-Methoxy-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-propoxy}-8,8-dimethyl-7,8-dihydro-6H-pyranochromen-2-one (1) and decursinol 3'-O-E-pmethoxycinnamic acid ester (2), respectively and newly reported. Compounds 1 and 2 significantly inhibited AChE activity and ameliorated memory impairment induced in mice by scopolamine (1.0 mg/kg body weight s.c.) as measured in passive avoidance test. We suggest, therefore, that compounds 1 and 2 has both anti-AChE and anti-amnesic activities that may ultimately hold significant therapeutic value in alleviating certain memory impairment observed in Alzheimer's disease.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.353-355
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• 2022

We report a case of an 80-year-old Korean man with chronic cerebral paragonimiasis who presented with progressive memory impairment. He suffered from pulmonary paragonimiasis 60 years ago and has been experiencing epilepsy since the age of 45. He began experiencing memory and cognitive deterioration 3 years ago. He visited the neuropsychiatric department of our hospital to check his symptoms and health from a year ago. Contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging study revealed calcifications and cystic lesions encompassing the right temporo-occipital region. Encephalomalatic changes were also observed in the right occipital and temporal areas. The anti-Paragonimus specific IgG antibodies in his serum showed a strong positive response. The neuropsychological test results showed a Global Deterioration Scale of 4 and a Clinical Dementia Rating Scale of 1. The chronic cerebral paragonimiasis lesions in the patient's right temporo-occipital region might induce the dementic change.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.1253-1258
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• 2012

In the present study, we investigated the effects of Rubus coreanus Miquel (RCM) on memory ability of senescence-accelerated mice (SAM). Prone 8 strains of SAM mice (SAMP8), which is a useful animal for investigating the mechanism of brain aging and senile dementia, were fed a diet containing 100 mg/kg body weight/day of RCM for 8 weeks. Memory ability of mice was examined by using passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test. SAMP8 mice showed remarkable memory impairment compared with senescence-resistant 1 strains of SAM (SAMR1). RCM significantly improved memory ability of SAMP8 mice. In addition, acetylcholineasterase activities decreased in the brain of SAMP8 mice treated with RCM. Taken together, these results suggest that RCM may act as an acetylcholineasterase inhibitor, thereby improving senescence-related memory impairment.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.381-390
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine whether ginsenoside Rg3 (GRg3) could improve learning and memory impairments and inflammatory reactions induced by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the brains of rats. The effects of GRg3 on proinflammatory mediators in the hippocampus and the underlying mechanisms of these effects were also investigated. Injection of LPS into the lateral ventricle caused chronic inflammation and produced deficits in learning in a memory-impairment animal model. Daily administration of GRg3 (10, 20, and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) for 21 consecutive days markedly improved the LPS-induced learning and memory disabilities demonstrated on the step-through passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test. GRg3 administration significantly decreased expression of pro-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-1${\beta}$, and cyclooxygenase-2 in the hippocampus, as assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis and immunohistochemistry. Together, these findings suggest that GRg3 significantly attenuated LPS-induced cognitive impairment by inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in the rat brain. These results suggest that GRg3 may be effective for preventing or slowing the development of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, by improving cognitive and memory functions due to its anti-inflammatory activity in the brain.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2020

Mentha arvensis is used traditional medicine to treat various disorders. In the present study, M. arvensis were extracted by the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method and analyzed by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We investigated the protective effects and mechanisms of a M. arvensis extract on scopolamine-induced cognitive and memory impairment. Mice were orally pretreated with a M. arvensis extract or normal saline, and then behavior tests were conducted 30 min after scopolamine injection. The antioxidant capacities were analyzed by free radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were also measured using Ellman's method ex vivo test. In behavior tests, percent of spontaneous alteration, escape latency and swimming time in target quadrant were improved by the administration of the M. arvensis extract, which suggests that the M. arvensis extract improves memory function in the scopolamine-treated mice model. In addition, M. arvensis extract showed inhibition of the free radical and AChE activity. The results of the present study suggest that the M. arvensis extract ameliorates scopolamine-induced cognitive and memory deficits through the inhibition of free radicals and AChE activity. Therefore, M. arvensis may be a promising neuroprotective agent for management of learning and memory improvements in human dementia patients.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.353-360
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• 2017

Background: A critical features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is cognitive dysfunction, which partly arises from decreased in acetylcholine levels. AD afftected brains are characterized by extensive oxidative stress, which is thought to be primarily induced by the amyloid beta ($A{\beta}$) peptide. In a previous study, Cinnamomum loureiroi tincture inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity. That study identified AChE inhibitor in the C. loureiroi extract. Furthermore, the C. loureiroi extract enhanced memory in a trimethyltin (TMT)-induced model of cognitive dysfunction, as assessed via two behavioral tests. Rosa laevigata extract protected against oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity. Administrating R. laevigata extracts to mice significantly reversed $A{\beta}$-induced learning and memory impairment, as shown in behavioral tests. Methods and Results: We conducted behavioral to examine the synergistic effects of C. loureiroi and R. laevigata extracts in inhibiting AChE and counteracting TMT-induced learning and memory losses. We also performed biochemical assays. The biochemical results showed a relationship between increased oxidative stress and cholinergic neurons damage in TMT-treated mice. Conclusions: A diet containing C. loureiroi and R. laevigata extracts ameliorated learning and memory impairments in the Y-maze and passive avoidance tests, and exerted synergistic inhibitory effect against AChE and lipid peroxidation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.375-383
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the cognitive improvement and memory recovery effects of Korean and Chinese Crataegus pinnatifida ethanolic extracts on scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. In vivo studies were carried out with mice treated with Korean Crataegus pinnatifida extracts (KCF) and Chinese Crataegus pinnatifida extracts (CCF) in doses of 5 and 50 mg/kg (p.o.) and scopolamine was injected 30 min before the behavioral testing. Antioxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition by Ellman's modified method. The chlorogenic acid and hyperoside as marker compounds of KCF and CCF was quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography analysis (UPLC). Results showed that KCF was more contained high content of chlorogenic acid and hyperoside than CCF. In addition, KCF was more exerted free radical (DPPH and ABTS) scavenging activity and blocked AChE activity than CCF. In vivo studies also showed that KCF administration has a further improved the memory of scopolamine-treated mice than CCF in Y-maze test, passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test. These results revealed that KCF more prevents scopolamine-induced memory impairments through antioxidant and acethylcholinesterase inhibition effect compared CCF.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.499-507
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), a dominant component from the extract of Panax ginseng root, exhibits neuroprotective functions in many neurological diseases. This study was intended to investigate whether Rb1 can attenuate cisplatin-induced memory impairments and explore the potential mechanisms. Methods: Cisplatin was injected intraperitoneally with a dose of 5 mg/kg/wk, and Rb1 was administered in drinking water at the dose of 2 mg/kg/d to rats for 5 consecutive wk. The novel objects recognition task and Morris water maze were used to detect the memory of rats. Nissl staining was used to examine the neuron numbers in the hippocampus. The activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, cholineacetyltransferase, acetylcholinesterase, and the levels of malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, acetylcholine, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$, and interleukin-10 were measured by ELISA to assay the oxidative stress, cholinergic function, and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus. Results: Rb1 administration effectively ameliorates the memory impairments caused by cisplatin in both novel objects recognition task and Morris water maze task. Rb1 also attenuates the neuronal loss induced by cisplatin in the different regions (CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus) of the hippocampus. Meanwhile, Rb1 is able to rescue the cholinergic neuron function, inhibit the oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in cisplatin-induced rat brain. Conclusion: Rb1 rescues the cisplatin-induced memory impairment via restoring the neuronal loss by reducing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation and recovering the cholinergic neuron functions.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.494-507
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• 2023

Vascular dementia (VaD) is characterized by progressive memory impairment, which is associated with microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. Polyphenol-rich natural plants, which possess anti-inflammatory activities, have attracted scientific interest worldwide. This study investigated whether Rubus fruticosus leaf extract (RFLE) can attenuate VaD. Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into five groups: SO, sham-operated and treated with vehicle; OP, operated and treated with vehicle; RFLE-L, operated and treated with low dose (30 mg/kg) of RFLE; RFLE-M, operated and treated with medium dose (60 mg/kg) of RFLE; and RFLE-H, operated and treated with high dose (90 mg/kg) of RFLE. Bilateral common carotid artery and hypotension were used as a modeling procedure, and the RFLE were intraorally administered for 5 days (preoperative 2 and postoperative 3 days). The rats then underwent memory tests including the novel object recognition, Y-maze, Barnes maze, and passive avoidance tests, and neuronal viability and neuroinflammation were quantified in their hippocampi. The results showed that the OP group exhibited VaD-associated memory deficits, neuronal death, and microglial activation in hippocampi, while the RFLE-treated groups showed significant attenuation in all above parameters. Next, using BV-2 microglial cells challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), we evaluated the effects of RFLE in dynamics of proinflammatory mediators and the upstream signaling pathway. RFLE pretreatment significantly inhibited the LPS-induced release of nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-6 and upregulation of the MAPKs/NF-κB/iNOS pathway. Collectively, we suggest that RFLE can attenuate the histologic alterations and memory deficits accompanied by VaD, and these roles are, partly due to the attenuation of microglial activation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.51-52
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• 2002