[Effect of puerarin on learning-memory behavior and synaptic structure of hippocampus in the aging mice induced by D-galactose].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of puerarin on learning-memory behavior of aging mice induced by D-galactose and its possible mechanism of action.


METHODS
The aging mice were induced by s.c. 0.12 g.kg-1 D-galactose for 6 weeks. The aging mice were treated with three doses of puerarin once a day for 5 weeks. The spontaneous behavior and the learning memory behavior were tested in the aging mice using open field and Y-maze at the next day after the last treatment. The structure of Gray I synaptic interface in the CA3 area of the hippocampus was quantitatively analyzed by electronic microscope and computer image processing appliance.


RESULTS
Compared with the D-galactose control group, puerarin (60 mg.kg-1) was shown to increase significantly the spontaneous behavior and explorative response in the open field, and improve remarkablely the learning and memory ability of the aging mice induced by D-galactose. Meanwhile, the thickness of post-synaptic density (PSD) was increased, and the width of the synaptic cleft in the hippocampus CA3 area was shortened.


CONCLUSIONS
Puerarin showed an improvement effect against the memory impairment in the modelling aging-mice induced by D-galactose. A pathological alteration of synaptic interface structure in hippocampus of the mice may be involved in the effect.
Xu
Xiao-hong
XH
Academy of Life and Environment Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China.
Zhang
Zi-gui
ZG
D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D007529:Isoflavones; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D005690:Galactose; C033607:puerarin