[The improvement of taurine in learning and memory ability of rats exposed to lead].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the improvement of taurine (Tau) in learning and memory ability of rats exposed to lead.


METHODS
Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group: treated with distilled water; lead group: treated with lead acetate (40 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)); lead-taurine group 1, 2, 3: lead acetate (40 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)) + different concentrations of taurine (100, 400, 800 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)). The ability of learning and memory of rats were measured weekly by spatial water maze test from the 5th to 8th week. At the end of the experiment, the rats were killed, the samples of blood and brain were taken for test.


RESULTS
(1) The time of seeking anchorage of lead-Tau 800 mg group in the 6th, 7th, 8th week and that of lead-Tau 400 mg group in the 6th week were significantly lower than that of lead group (P<0.05). (2) Blood lead contents in lead-Tau 100 mg and lead-Tau 400 mg group [(510.9 +/- 57.56) microg/L, (485.40 +/- 98.85) microg/L] were different from those in lead group (P<0.05). (3) The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in brain of lead-Tau 800 mg group and lead-Tau 400 mg group were also different from those in lead group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The content of GSH and the activity of GSH-Px in lead-Tau 800 mg group were different from those in lead group (P<0.05) as well.


CONCLUSIONS
Taurine could improve learning and memory ability of rats exposed to lead and may play a protective role in brain.
Hu
Jin-dong
JD
Institute of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
Gao
Qiu-hua
QH
Yu
Deng-guang
DG
Xu
Xiong-tao
XT
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013654:Taurine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione; C008261:lead acetate