title: Effects of beta-carboline alkaloids on the object recognition task in mice.
abstract: beta-carboline alkaloids are found in several medicinal plants and display a variety of actions on the central nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of systemic administration of beta-carboline alkaloids on object recognition in mice. Adult Swiss mice received an intra-peritoneal injection (i.p.) of alkaloids (1.0, 2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg) 30 min before training in an object recognition task. The fully aromatic beta-carbolines, harmine and harmol, induced an enhancement of short-term memory (STM) at all doses tested when compared to controls. Harmaline, a dihydro beta-carboline and inverse agonist of the MK-801 binding site on the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, also induced an enhancement of both short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM). These results demonstrate that systemic administration of beta-carboline alkaloids can improve object recognition memory in mice.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biofísica/Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dinara Jaqueline
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Camile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rorig
authors.forename: Daiane Loss
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: João Antonio Pêgas
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roesler
authors.forename: Jenifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saffi
authors.forename: Jane Marlei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boeira
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002243:Carbolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006246:Harmaline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006247:Harmine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002243:Carbolines; D006247:Harmine; D006246:Harmaline