title: Vinpocetine: nootropic effects on scopolamine-induced and hypoxia-induced retrieval deficits of a step-through passive avoidance response in rats.
abstract: Vinpocetine, vincamine, aniracetam, and Hydergine, compounds with purported cognition activating activity, were evaluated for their ability to prevent scopolamine-induced and hypoxia-induced impairment of passive avoidance retention (24 hr) in rats. Vinpocetine (peak effect dose [PED]= 200 mg/kg PO), aniracetam (PED = 100 mg/kg PO), vincamine (PED = 30 mg/kg PO), and Hydergine (PED = 1 mg/kg PO) prevented memory disruption by scopolamine. Vinpocetine (PED = 3 mg/kg PO) and aniracetam (PED = 30 mg/kg PO) were also effective in preventing disruption of passive avoidance retention impaired by 7% oxygen hypoxia. In contrast, Hydergine (0.05 to 3 mg/kg PO) and vincamine (0.3 to 100 mg/kg PO) were not effective against hypoxia-induced impairment. Hydergine at doses greater than 10 mg/kg PO markedly impaired motor function. In both tests the protection was dose-related for all test substances in an inverted U-shaped manner. Mecamylamine (1, 3, 10 mg/kg SC), (-)-nicotine (0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg SC), apovincaminic acid (1-400 mg/kg PO) and pemoline (1-100 mg/kg PO) did not protect against memory impairment induced by either procedure. These data support the view that vinpocetine, a compound chemically distinct from the pyrrolidinones, has a cognitive activating ability as defined in models of both scopolamine-induced and hypoxia-induced memory impairment in rats.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D004088:Dihydroergotoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time; D012601:Scopolamine; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014749:Vincamine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; D004088:Dihydroergotoxine; C013983:vinpocetine; C036466:aniracetam; D014749:Vincamine; D012601:Scopolamine