title: Effect of long-term administration of berberine on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.
abstract: The effect of berberine (BER) on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced amnesia was investigated in a step-through passive avoidance task in rats. It was observed that BER at the doses of 0.1 and 0.5 g/kg after 7-day or 14-day administration significantly improved SCOP-induced amnesia. The anti-amnesic effect of BER after 14-day administration on the SCOP-induced amnesia was significantly augmented by physostigmine or neostigmine, and completely reversed by scopolamine N-methylbromide. These results suggest that the antiamnesic effect of BER after 14-day administration may be related to the increase in the peripheral and central cholinergic neuronal system activity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba Medical College, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012601:Scopolamine
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D001599:Berberine; D012601:Scopolamine