title: Effects of Gastrodia elata and its active constituents on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.
abstract: The effects of the rhizome of Gastrodia elata Blume (Orchidaceae) (abbreviated as GE) and its active constituents on learning and memory by using the one-trial passive avoidance task were studied in rats. At the 1.0 g/kg dose administered for one week, the methanol extract of GE significantly prolonged the shortened step-through latency induced by scopolamine in the passive avoidance task. Furthermore, at the 50.0 mg/kg dose administered for one week, the ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of the methanol extract prolonged the shortened step-through latency induced by scopolamine in rats. Gastrodin, isolated from the n-butanol fraction of the methanol extract, and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the methanol extract, also significantly prolonged the shortened step-through latency induced by scopolamine on the passive avoidance task. These results suggested that gastrodin and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol may be the active constituents of GE.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; C018966:4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol; C045345:gastrodin; D012601:Scopolamine