title: Effects of Crocus sativus L. on the ethanol-induced impairment of passive avoidance performances in mice.
abstract: The acute effects of an alcohol extract of Crocus sativus L. (CS-extract) were studied on learning and memory in step through (ST) and step down (SD) tests in normal as well as in learning- and memory-impaired mice. A single oral administration of CS-extract had no effects on memory registration, consolidation or retrieval in normal mice. CS-Extract reduced the ethanol-induced impairment of memory registration both in ST and SD tests and the ethanol-induced impairment of memory retrieval in SD test. CS-Extract decreased the motor activity (MA) and prolonged the sleeping time induced by hexobarbital. These results suggested that CS-extract ameliorates the impairment effects of ethanol on learning and memory processes, and possesses a sedative effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D003672:Defecation / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol