Asiatic acid derivatives enhance cognitive performance partly by improving acetylcholine synthesis.
Thirty-six semi-synthesized derivatives of asiatic acid were examined to determine if they had cognitive-enhancing activity in a passive avoidance test. Among the compounds tested, AS-2, AS-2-9-006 and AS-9-006 significantly alleviated scopolamine-induced memory impairment at doses of 1 and 10 mg kg(-1). Furthermore, AS-2 and AS-2-9-006 (1 mg kg(-1) administered four times daily) enhanced cognitive performance as determined in a water maze test. These three asiatic acid derivatives did not show any significant effect on the learning process in active avoidance tests. AS-2, AS-2-9-006 and AS-9-006 enhanced cholineacetyltransferase activity in a cholinergic neuroblastoma cell line, S-20Y, in-vitro. Therefore, AS-2, AS-2-9-006 and AS-9-006 may have therapeutic value in alleviating certain memory impairment observed in dementia.
College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Shillim-Dong, Kwanak-Gu, Seoul 151-742, Korea.
So Ra
SR
Kim
Kyung Ah
KA
Koo
Mi Kyeong
MK
Lee
Hyeung-Geun
HG
Park
Sang-Sup
SS
Jew
Kyung-Hoe
KH
Cha
Young Choong
YC
Kim
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000647:Amnesia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D016466:CHO Cells; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D003704:Dementia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D012601:Scopolamine; D014162:Transfection; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018697:Nootropic Agents; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014315:Triterpenes; C017032:asiatic acid; D012601:Scopolamine; D000109:Acetylcholine