title: Effects of red ginseng saponins and nootropic drugs on impaired acquisition of ethanol-treated rats in passive avoidance performance.
abstract: Effects of single and repeated administration of red ginseng total saponins (ROTS) and nootropic drugs were examined on impairment of acquisition induced by single oral administration of 3 g/kg ethanol (EtOH) in a step through test. The inhibitory effect of EtOH on acquisition was significantly reduced following single or repeated RGTS administration. The nootropic drugs, piracetam and N-methyl-D-glucamine, given orally significantly reduced impairment of acquisition induced by EtOH. On the other hand, the inhibitory effect of repeated RGTS on the EtOH-induced amnesia was blocked by the pretreatment of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MT), an inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis, in a dose-dependent manner but not p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, whereas the inhibitory effect of repeated N-methyl-D-glucamine on the EtOH-induced amnesia was blocked neither by alpha-MT nor PCPA. These results suggest that repeated RGTS and N-methyl-D-glucamine ameliorate the impairing effect of EtOH on acquisition, and the effect of RGTS on EtOH-induced amnesia is dependent on the catecholaminergic but not serotonergic neuronal activity, while RGTS and N-methyl-D-glucamine seem to have a different mechanism on EtOH-induced amnesia.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Taejon, South Korea. Leesc@hanbat.chungnam.ac.kr
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D012503:Saponins; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D000431:Ethanol; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine; D008536:Meglumine; D010134:Fenclonine; D010889:Piracetam