The multi-herbal formula Guibi-tang enhances memory and increases cell proliferation in the rat hippocampus.
Guibi-tang (GBT) is a multi-herbal medicinal formula that has been used to treat amnesia in the traditional Korean medicine system for hundreds of years. In this study, we investigated the effects of GBT on learning and memory function in Wistar rats by using the foot shock passive avoidance test. In addition, cell proliferation was examined using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake and immunostaining in the dentate gyrus of the rat hippocampus after oral administration of GBT. In the passive avoidance test, the retention time of the GBT-treated group was significantly longer (almost 2.5-fold) than that of the control group. The number of BrdU-immunoreactive cells in the dentate gyrus was significantly higher in the GBT-treated group (almost twofold) than in the control group. These results suggest that administration of GBT to rats not only improves learning and memory but also increases the proliferation of cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.
Oh
Myung Sook
MS
Department of Prescriptionology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
Huh
Youngbuhm
Y
Bae
Hyunsu
H
Ahn
Duk Kyun
DK
Park
Seong Kyu
SK
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D028321:Plant Preparations; C000611222:guibi-tang; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine