title: Effects of Celastrus paniculatus on passive avoidance performance and biogenic amine turnover in albino rats.
abstract: The effects of an indigenous drug, Celastrus oil, extracted from the seeds of Celastrus paniculatus on learning and memory in a two compartment passive avoidance task was studied in albino rats. The effects on the contents of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) in the brain and on the levels of their metabolites both in the brain and urine were also assessed. Significant improvement was observed in the retention ability of the drug treated rats compared with the saline administered controls. The contents of NE, DA and 5-HT and their metabolites in the brain were significantly decreased in the drug treated group. The urinary metabolite levels were also significantly decreased except for total 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl glycol. These data indicate that Celastrus oil causes an overall decrease in the turnover of all the three central monoamines and implicate the involvement of these aminergic systems in the learning and memory process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, Kasturba Medical College, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nalini
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Karanth
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aroor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D012701:Serotonin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; C097139:Celastrus oil; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine