• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1779-1784
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• 2013

Although enzyme-hydrolyzed silk fibroin has been reported to enhance cognitive function before, it has been still unknown which peptides can improve memory. Here we report that amino acid sequences of three novel peptides were identified from fibroin hydrolysate. Fibroin hydrolysate was obtained by hydrolysis with protease after partial hydrolysis with 5M $CaCl_2$. Synthesized peptides derived from these sequences improved scopolamine-induced memory impairments in mice. We confirmed this hydrolysate had effects that improved learning and memory abilities by performing the Rey-Kim test. From this hydrolysate of silk fibroin, amino acid sequences of eight peptides were identified by LC-MS/MS. Three peptides (GAGAGTGSSGFGPY, GAGAGSGAGSGAGAGSGAGAGY, and SGAGSGAGAGSGAGAGSGA) were synthesized to investigate whether they could improve memory. Passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test were performed, and all peptides showed memory-enhancing abilities on scopolamine-induced memory impairments in mice. In this study, we identified three novel peptides that could improve memory, and that silk fibroin hydrolysate was a mixture of various active peptides that could enhance memory.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2021

Belamcandae Rhizoma (BR), the rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC., possesses various biological properties such as anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant activity and antimutagenic activity. However, there have been no studies on the anti-amnesic effect of BR. In this study, we assessed the improvement effect of BR extract on scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice. ICR mice were administrated with BR (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) and were subsequently injected of scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before behavioral tasks (Y-maze, passive avoidance and Morris water maze tasks). To further assess the possible mechanisms of BR, the ex vivo acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was also evaluated. BR could ameliorate scopolamine-induced memory impairment and could regulate the cholinergic function by inhibiting the AChE activity. These data demonstrated that BR exert candidate extract against amnesia by restoring the cholinergic activity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

Forsythiaside is a polyphenolic constituent of the fruits of Forsythia suspense Vahl which are widely used as anti-inflammatory herbal raw materials in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, the authors assessed the effects of forsythiaside on learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine using a passive avoidance and the Morris water maze tests in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Forsythiaside (10 mg/kg, p.o) administration significantly prevented scopolamine-induced step-through latency reduction in the passive avoidance test and scopolamine-induced increased escape latency in the Morris water maze test (p<0.05). Moreover, in an ex-vivo study, forsythiaside treatment (10 mg/kg, p.o) significantly reduced the increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels induced by scopolamine (p<0.05). Taken together, the present study suggests that forsythiaside could be useful for the treatment of cognitive impairment, and that its beneficial effects are mediated, in part, by its antioxidative properties.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.103-115
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• 2006

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disease associated with aging in the human population. This disease is characterized by the following 4 structural changes : Atrophy of the Cortex, Parasympathetic, and other neural cells, the existence of Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and the accumulation of Senile plaques. NFTs and Senile plaques is known to be the index of this disease. Senile plaques disturbs the neutro transmission and depletes of Acetylcholine. So, Recovery of Acetylcholine is the primal objective for treating Alzheimer's disease. So, Inhibiting the activity of Acetylcholine Esterase (AChE), which causes the hydrolysus of acetylcholine into choline and acetate, can be seen as a key role for treating Alzheimer's disease. Increasing body of evidence has been demonstrated that Bee Venom Acupuncture (BV) could compete with complex protein involving in multiple step of $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation and exert the anti -inflammatory potential of combined inhibition of the prostanoid and nitric oxide synthesis systems by inhibition of IKK and $NF-_{\kappa}B$. The effect of BV through behavioral tests after memory impairment induced by Scopolamine. We examined the improving effect of BV on the Scopolamine (1 mg/Kg, i.p.)-induced memorial impairment using passive avoidance response and water maze tests in the mice. BV (0.84, $1.67\;{\mu}g/ml$) reversed the Scopolamine-induced memorial impairment in dose dependent manner. This study therefore suggests that BV acupuncture method may be useful for prevention of development or progression of AD.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.874-883
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• 2011

Many studies have shown that the steamed root of Rehmannia glutinosa (SRG), which is widely used in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases in the context of Korean traditional medicine, is effective for improving cognitive and memory impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine whether SRG extracts improved memory defects caused by administering scopolamine (SCO) into the brains of rats. The effects of SRG on the acetylcholinergic system and proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were also investigated. Male rats were administered daily doses of SRG (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days, 1 h before scopolamine injection (2 mg/kg, i.p.). After inducing cognitive impairment via scopolamine administration, we conducted a passive avoidance test (PAT) and the Morris water maze (MWM) test as behavioral assessments. Changes in cholinergic system reactivity were also examined by measuring the immunoreactive neurons of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and the reactivity of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) in the hippocampus. Daily administration of SRG improved memory impairment according to the PAT, and reduced the escape latency for finding the platform in the MWM. The administration of SRG consistently significantly alleviated memory-associated decreases in cholinergic immunoreactivity and decreased interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) mRNA expression in the hippocampus. The results demonstrated that SRG had a significant neuroprotective effect against the neuronal impairment and memory dysfunction caused by scopolamine in rats. These results suggest that SRG may be useful for improving cognitive functioning by stimulating cholinergic enzyme activities and alleviating inflammatory responses.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2014

We investigated the effect low salt (2 or 4% salt) concentrations jeotgal made from Todarodes pacificus on the learning and memory impairments in scopolamine-induced (2 mg/kg, i.p.) dementia rats. Rats treated with oral BF-7 (200 mg/kg, p.o.) as a positive control and Todarodes pacificus jeotgal had significantly reduced scopolamine-induced memory deficits in the passive avoidance test. The Morris water maze test or treatment with 2% salt jeotgal made from Todarodes pacificus significantly ameliorated the scopolamine-induced memory deficits in the formation of long- and short-term memory. The acetylcholine content and acetylcholinesterase acitivity paralleled the results of the behavior experiment. There were no significant differences in the brain acetylcholine contents of the experimental groups, while the brain acetylcholine content of the group treated with 2% salt Todarodes pacificus jeotgal was higher than that of the control group. The inhibitory effect of 2% salt jeotgal made from Todarodes pacificus on the acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain was lower than that of the control group. These trends were similar to those of the gamma-aminobutyric acid content. We suggest that Todarodes pacificus jeotgal enhances learning memory and cognitive function by regulating cholinergic enzymes.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2018

Background: This study investigated the effects of acupuncture at Sobu (HT8) and Haenggan (LR2) on scopolamine-induced, cognitively impaired rats. Methods: Scopolamine-treated Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups; normal, control, HT8, LR2, HT8 + LR2 and sham group. Cognitive impairment was induced by scopolamine, in control, and then in HT8, LR2, HT8 + LR2 and sham groups. Acupuncture treatment was performed at HT8, LR2, HT8 + LR2, and a random acupoint, respectively, every other day for 2 weeks. After each treatment, behavior change was observed and the rats were sacrificed. The change in brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activity was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction. Results: Latency time to target in Morris Water-Maze test for the HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant decrease compared with control (p<0.05). Target crossing times and time zone ratios in Morris Water-Maze test for HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant increase compared with control (p<0.01). In the Y-Maze test the HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant increase compared with control (p<0.05). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, in the HT8 + LR2 group, showed a significantly increased level compared with control (p<0.05). Neural activity of acetylcholine esterase in HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant decrease compared with the control group (p<0.01), choline acetyltransferase activity in the HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant increase compared with control (p<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture at HT8 + LR2 restored scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, suggesting acupuncture could be an alternative to improve cognitive function.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.125-144
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize the effect of the fraction of Korean mountain ginseng folium (FKG) on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine. Methods: The memory ameliorating effect of FKG was investigated using a passive avoidance test, the Y-maze test, and the Morris water maze test in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by treating animals with scopolamine(1mg/kg, i.p.). Results: FKG (2 or 4mg/kg, p.o.) administration significantly reversed scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in mice by the passive avoidance test and the Y-maze test(P<0.05), and also improved escape latency in the Morris water maze test at 2 or 4mg/kg(P<0.05). Although FKG has little inhibitory activity for AChE (IC50 value; 1847 ${\mu}g/ml$) in an invitro study, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase(pERK) was increased by the administration of FKG inhippocampus on immunohistochemistry. Conclusions: These results suggest that FKG may be a useful cognitive impairment treatment, and its beneficial effects are mediated, in part, via activation of ERK pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.8
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• pp.1190-1196
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism and effects of different types of ginseng on memory improvement in an experimental rat model. In this study, SD rats were induced for memory deficits through scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.) then administrated with ginseng extract for 7 weeks. The rats were divided into five groups: saline (1 mL/kg, NC: negative control), white ginseng (300 mg/kg, WG), red ginseng (300 mg/kg, RG), black ginseng (300 mg/kg, BG), and scopolamine (1 mg/kg, PC: positive control). The step through latency of the BG and RG groups was significantly longer than the PC group in the retention trial of multiple trial passive avoidance test. In the spatial reference memory triads of the Morris water maze test, the latency time of BG and RG was significantly lower than the PC group. In addition, in the prove test, the time spent in the platform quadrant of BG and RG groups were significantly longer than the PC group. Brain choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities BG and RG groups significantly increased compared to other groups. On the other hand, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly lower in the BG and RG groups compared to other groups. These result suggested that black ginseng could be useful to enhance learning memory and cognitive function by regulation of cholinergic enzymes.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.228-235
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate the memory enhancing effect of Poria cocos Wolf (Hoelen cum radix) against scopolamine-induced amnesia in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. To induce amnesia, scopolamine (0.75 mg/kg) was intraperitonically injected into SD rats 30 min before starting behavior tests. We have conducted Morris water-maze and Y-maze tests to monitor learning and memory functions. Poria cocos effectively reversed scopolamine-induced memory impairment in SD rats which was represented by an improvement of mean escape latency in water-maze test and spontaneous alterations in Y-maze test. To elucidate possible molecule mechanism, we have measured mRNA as well as protein expression of acetylcholine esterase (AchE), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAchR), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Poria cocos increased mRNA levels of ChAT and mAchR in rat hippocampus compared with those in the scopolamine-injected amnesic group. In addition, protein expression of ChAT and BDNF was also elevated by Poria cocos intake. Furthermore, as an upstrem regulator, the activation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In this immunohistochemical analysis, the phosphorylation of CREB (p-CREB) was reduced by scopolamine injection, which was restored back to control levels by administration of Poria cocos. These results suggest that Poria cocos may improve memory and cognitive deficit in amnesia and have therapeutic potentials through up-regulation of ChAT, mAchR, and BDNF, which seemed to be mediated by activation of CREB.