title: Attenuation of ECS-induced retrograde amnesia by using an herbal formulation.
abstract: Earlier research indicated the efficacy of a complex herbal formulation in the attenuation of electroconvulsive shock (ECS)-induced amnestic deficits in rats; this study sought to ascertain whether a simplified herbal formulation (Memorin; Phyto-Pharma, India) also was effective. Rats pretreated for a fortnight with Memorin (200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle were exposed to a passive-avoidance learning paradigm in a shuttle box. The next day, the rats were administered two true or sham ECSs, 5 h apart; recall of the pre-ECS learning was reassessed on the following day. ECS was found to produce significant retrograde amnesia (p < 0.002). Memorin attenuated the ECS-induced amnesia (p = 0.00003) without influencing the ECS seizure duration. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Vinekar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Sriprada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chandra
mesh_terms: D000647:Amnesia / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; C074754:Mentat; D010936:Plant Extracts