title: Involvement of cholinergic system in losartan-induced facilitation of spatial and short-term working memory.
abstract: In the present study we have shown the potential memory enhancing property of losartan, a selective Ang II AT1 receptor antagonist. Nootropic activity of losartan in mice was assessed by using passive avoidance step-down task and elevated plus-maze as a measure of short-term working and spatial memory respectively. Losartan at higher dose (10 mg/kg i.p) improved the basal performance in retention testing in both the test paradigms. Prior administration of losartan also attenuated retention deficit induced by scopolamine (0.3 mg/kg i.p). Moreover, physostigmine (0.05 mg/kg i.p) potentiated memory enhancing properties of losartan administered at lower dose (5 mg/kg i.p). On the basis of above observations it is concluded that the memory enhancing properties of losartan can be attributed to increased cholinergic activity.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Division, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raghavendra
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
mesh_terms: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D044140:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D010830:Physostigmine; D012601:Scopolamine; D019808:Losartan