• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.371-376
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• 2010

Glycyrrhizae radix (GR) is an herbal medicine that is commonly used in the East Asia for treating a variety of diseases, including stomach disorders. The objective of the present study was to examine the anti-stress effects of GR on repeated stress-induced alterations of anxiety, learning and memory in rats. Restraint stress was administered for 14 days (2 h/day) to the rats in the Control and GR groups (400 mg/kg/day, PO). Starting on the eighth day, the rats were tested for spatial memory on the Morris water maze test (MW) and for anxiety on the elevated plus maze (EPM). We studied the changes of the expressions of cholineacetyl transferase (ChAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the locus coerleus (LC) using immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the rats treated with GR had significantly reduced stress-induced deficits on their learning and memory on the spatial memory tasks. In addition, the ChAT immunoreactivities were increased. Gor the EPM, treatment with GR increased the time spent in the open arms (p<0.001) as compared to that of the control group. Moreover, GR treatment also normalized the increases of the TH expression in the LC (p<0.001). In conclusion, administration of GR improved spatial learning and memory and reduced stress-induced anxiety. Thus, the present results suggest that GR has the potential to attenuate the behavioral and neurochemical impairments caused by stress.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.437-442
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to characterize the putative anxiolytic-like effects of phenylpropanoids using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test in mice. Cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid were orally administered to male ICR mice, 1 h before behavioral evaluation in an EPM, respectively. Control mice were treated with an equal volume of vehicle, and positive control mice diazepam (1 mg/kg). A single treatment with phenylpropanoids (at 8 mg/kg) significantly increased time-spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM, and decreased time-spent and arm entries into the closed arms of the EPM versus control (P<0.05). However, no changes in the locomotor activity and myorelaxant effect were seen in any group versus the saline control. These results suggest that phenylpropanoids may be an effective anx-iolytic agent.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2 s.70
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• pp.1-12
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• 2007

Objective : Gagamchongmyung-tang is clinically one of the most popular prescriptions as an herbal medicine for the treatment of amnesia. In order to evaluate its neuroprotective effects on the ischemia-induced cognitive deficits caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we examined its ability to reduce impairments of learning and memory of rats in the Morris water maze. Method and Result : Focal cerebral ischemia produced a decrease in acetylcholine transmission in the hippocampus, and deficits of learning and memory in the Morris water maze task. Treatment with two types of Gagamchongmyung-tang, methanol and water extracts, produced a substantial increase in acquisition in the Morris water maze. Treatment with methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang increased the performance of the retention test in the Morris water maze. Consistent with behavioral data, immunohistochemical data showed that treatment with methanol extract, but not water extract, of Gagamchongmyung-tang significantly recovered reduction of AchE and ChAT reactivity in the hippocampal CAl area. Conclusion : These results demonstrated that methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang has protective effects against ischemia-induced learning and memory impairments, and provided evidence of methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang as a putative treatment for amnesia, vascular dementia, and longer memory.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.691-696
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• 2011

In order to the neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture (EA), the present study examined the effects of electroacupuncture inacupoint ST36 (Stomach 36) on trimethyltin chloride (TMT)-induced cognitive impairments rat using the Morris water maze (MWM) task and immunohistochemistry staining. The rats were randomly divided into the following groups: naive rat (Normal), TMT injection rat (Control), TMT injection + EA treated rat inacupoint ST36 (ST36) and TMT injection + EA treated rat in non-acupoint, base of tail (Non-AC). Electroacupuncture (2Hz, 2mA, and 10 minutes)was applied either to the acupuncture point ST36 or the nonacupuncture point in the tail for the last 14 days. In the water maze test, the animals were trained to find a platform in a fixed position during 4d and then received 60s probe trial on the $5^{th}$ day following removal of platform from the pool. Rats with TMT injection showed impaired learning and memory of the tasks and treatment with EA in acupoint ST36 (P<0.05) produced a significant improvement in escape latency to find the platform after $2^{nd}$ day and retention trial in the Morris water maze. Consistent with behavioral data, treatment with EA in acupoint ST36 also significantly increased expression of Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) immunoreactive neurons in the hippocampus compared to the Control group. These results demonstrated that EA in acupoint ST36 has a protective effect against TMT-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments. The present study suggests that EA in acupoint ST36 might be useful in the treatment of TMT-induced learning and memory deficit.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.476-483
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• 2010

The present study was performed to investigate the putative anxiolytic-like effects of the aqueous extract of the roots of Scrophularia buergeriana (SB-W) using elevated plus-maze (EPM) and hole-board apparatus in mice. SB-W was orally administered at doses of 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg to ICR mice, 1 h before the behavioral evaluation. Control group were administered with an equal volume of saline, and positive control group with buspirone (2 mg/kg, i.p.). The administration of SB-W significantly increased the percentage of time spent in open arms and entries into the open arms of the EPM compared with saline-treated control group (P < 0.05). Futhermore, those anxiolytic-like activities of SB-W were antagonized by flumazenil (a $GABA_A$ antagonist, 10 mg/kg), but not by WAY-100635 (a 5-$HT_{1A}$ antagonist, 0.3 mg/kg). Moreover, there were no changes in the locomotor activity and myorelaxant effects in any group compared with saline-treated control group. In the hole-board test, the administration of SB-W (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly increased the number of head-dipping compared with saline-treated control group (P < 0.05). Therefore, these findings suggest that Scrophularia buergeriana promotes the anxiolytic-like activity mediated by GABAergic nervous system in mice.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.480-488
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by deficits in memory and cognitive functions. The accumulation of amyloid beta peptide ($A{\beta}$) and oxidative stress in the brain are the most common causes of AD. MATERIALS/METHODS: Caffeic acid (CA) is an active phenolic compound that has a variety of pharmacological actions. We studied the protective abilities of CA in an $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-injected AD mouse model. CA was administered at an oral dose of 10 or 50 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Behavioral tests including T-maze, object recognition, and Morris water maze were carried out to assess cognitive abilities. In addition, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide (NO) production in the brain were measured to investigate the protective effect of CA in oxidative stress. RESULTS: In the T-maze and object recognition tests, novel route awareness and novel object recognition were improved by oral administration of CA compared with the $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-injected control group. These results indicate that administration of CA improved spatial cognitive and memory functions. The Morris water maze test showed that memory function was enhanced by administration of CA. In addition, CA inhibited lipid peroxidation and NO formation in the liver, kidney, and brain compared with the $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-injected control group. In particular, CA 50 mg/kg/day showed the stronger protective effect from cognitive impairment than CA 10 mg/kg/day. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that CA improves $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced memory deficits and cognitive impairment through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and NO production.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.479-487
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• 2013

This study is intended to examine the tDCS and Morris Water maze training in Alzheimer's disease(AD) rats on Tau protein expression. Experiment groups were divided into four groups and assigned 16 rats to each group. Group I was a control group(AD induced by scopolamine); Group II was a experimental control group(AD injured by scopolamine and treatment tacrine); Group III was a group of tDCS application after AD injured by scopolamine; Group IV was a group of morris water maze training after AD injured by scopolamine. In cognition test, the outcome of group II was significantly lower than the groups(p<.001). and group III, IV were significantly low result at 14 days(p<.05). In histological finding, the experimental groups were destroy of micro vessels and finding of cell atropy and swelling. Group III, IV were decreased in degeneration of liver and kidney cells. In immuno- histochemistric response of BDNF and tau protein in hippocampus, BDNF expression of Group II was more increase than the other groups. and increase of BDNF expression was III, IV were higher than group I at 21 days. Tau protein expression of Group II was more decrease than the other groups. and decrease of Tau protein expression was III, IV were lower than group I at 21 days. These result suggest that improved tDCS and morris water maze training after scopolamine induced is associated with dynamically altered expression of BDNF and Tau protein in hippocampus and that is related with cognitive function.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2021

Objectives : Gossypium arboreum (cotton) is traditionally used to treat various health disorders. However, anti-amnesic effect of G. arboreum has not been reported. The objective of this study was to investigate in-vivo the anti-amnesic effects along with in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition potential in G. arboreum seed essential oil. Methods : The essential oil of G. arboreum obtained by solid phase microextraction (SPME) techniques were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay were performed to determine the antioxidant activity at various concentrations (312.5, 625, 1250, 2500, 5000, 10000 ㎍/㎖. Y-maze, passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests were carried out to evaluate improved effect on scopolamine (1 mg/kg)-induced memory dysfunction at the dose level of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Donepezil (5 mg/kg) was used as a positive drug control. We performed acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity assay in ex vivo. Results : Five volatile compounds were identified in G. arboreum. The assays of DPPH and ABTS revealed that G. arboreum increased antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. G. arboreum ameliorated the percent of spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze test, shortened step-through latency in the passive avoidance test, and increased swimming time in the target zone in the Morris water maze test. In addition, G. arboreum inhibited the AChE activity. Conclusions : Based on these findings, G. arboreum may aid in the prevention and treatment of learning and memory-deficit disorders through antioxidant and AChE inhibitory activities.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.9-38
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• 2000

It has been widely said in Korea that early administrations of Cervi cornu parvum (deer antler) to febrile infants affect brain functions. Traditional Oriental Medicine states that the head is easily affected by fever and only an excess of heat causes headaches. Traditional Oriental Medicine also states that Cervi cornu parvum cannot be used in febrile conditions. With the aim of investigating different febrile response to LPS, experiments using intravenous injection of LPS have been carried out on Cervi comu parvum(CCP) and Soahbohyul - tang combined with Cervi comu parvum(SB-CCP) administered rabbits. Experiments were also conducted to evaluate the effects of early administration of CCP on learning and memory in 3 week old rats with LPS fever. These were evaluated by using the Morris water maze and the radial arm maze. Changes in body weight were also observed during this period. The results of these experiments are as follows. 1. In the experiments with febrile rabbits, the CCP and SB-CCP administered group showed statistically significant reductions of fever (p<0.05). 2. In the experiments with febrile rabbits, CCP and SB-CCP administered rabbits resulted in the tendency of lower body temperatures and shorter fever periods than the control group. 3. There were no differences of mean body weight and fever patterns among the 4 groups in the experiments on young rats with LPS fever. 4. There was no statistical difference of mean response latencies among the rats in Group I (DDW administered), GroupIII (CCP administered), and groupIV (SB-CCP administered) in the Morris water maze. However, Group Ⅱ (the scopolamine administered group) showed delayed latencies on the second day of the first session (p<0.05), and the second and third day of the second session (p< 0.05). 5. There were no statistical differences of mean response latencies among the rats in Group I, III and Ⅳ in the radial arm maze, but Group Ⅱ showed delayed latencies on the first and third day of the first session (p<0.05). 6. There was no influence from the administration of CCP and SB-CCP on the general behavior of the rats in Irwin´s test. These results suggest that Cervi cornu parvum and Soahbohyul - tang combined with Cervi comu parvum have anti-pyretic actions on LPS fever. The results also suggest that these drugs have no influence on learning and memory in young rats with LPS fever in the Morris water maze and the radial arm maze.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.799-806
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• 2014

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of extract from Eriobotrya japonica leaves (EJE) on cognitive impairment induced by scopolamine, a muscarinic antagonist, in rats. Scopolamine injection (1 mg/kg, i.p.) impaired performance in rats in the passive avoidance test as well as in water maze test and severely reduced cholinergic system reactivity, as indicated by reduced acetylcholine levels and increased acetylcholinesterase activity. Daily administration of EJE significantly increased step-through latency in the passive avoidance test, reduced escape latency, and increased time spent in the platform quadrant in the Morris water maze test. EJE protected against scopolamine-induced cholinergic system deficit, including reduced acetylcholine levels and increased acetylcholinesterase activity in whole brain homogenates. These results suggest that EJE provides a significant anti-amnesic effect against scopolamine-induced cholinergic system deficits and cognitive impairment.